Andhra Pradesh Government plans 1 lakh quarantine beds

Amaravati: The Government of Andhra Pradesh is aiming for 1 lakh beds in the State by setting up quarantine facility in every Village Secretariat for treating up to 15 patients. During the review meeting held on Saturday, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered setting up of quarantine facilities in all village secretariats to take care of the stranded people returning home.

The Chief Minister ordered that Anganwadis, Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA), and Panchayat Raj should collaboratively implement the COVID-19 preventive measures across the State. The CM ordered officials to modify at least 500 RTC buses into mobile vans for the delivery of daily essential goods and equip buses with freezers to store milk, curd, eggs and fruits. With regard to cluster zones, the CM instructed the officials to issue a pass for only one person in a house to buy essentials.

Moreover, doctors, ANM, Asha workers, and medicines should be available with the mobile unit.

Based on the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the extension of lockdown, the Chief Minister ordered the officials to identify containment zones and prepare a procedure to be followed besides issuing standard operating procedures (SOPs) at the permitted shops to avoid public gatherings and maintain social distance. Briefing the CM on the COVID-19 situation in the State, the officials said so far, 1,08,403 COVID-19 tests have been conducted averaging it to 2,030 tests per million population in the State and 5,943 tests were conducted only on Friday. The COVID-19 positive rate for the country was 3.82% and for the state, it was 1.41%. The COVID-19 mortality rate in the country was 3.28% and for the state, it was 2.16%. The Chief Minister sought details on the feedback of quarantine facilities and the improved facilities. With regard to agriculture-related sector, the officials informed the CM that they were set to start Rythu Bharosa Centres on May 30 and strengthening the market intelligence system. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister ordered the officials to prepare SOPs for the setting up of State, Mandal, and Village-level Agriculture Advisory boards to collaborate with Rythu Bharosa Centres. All the details regarding the purchase of crop by the government should be provided besides ensuring the availability of equipment to measure the moisture of the paddy at these centres, said the Chief Minister.