Massive spurt in Covid cases in Anantapur

Anantapur: From 40 Covid positive cases on January 1, the number has grown to 500 cases as on Thursday registering a 10-fold increase in the number of positive cases. The sudden spurt in cases has awakened the district administration and is reviewing the sudden surge in the district.

Already, the state government has taken a decision to gear up for the progressing third wave and as part of its strategic handling, has on a virtual mode had launched more than 120 oxygen plants throughout the state. In the past 24 hours alone, as many as 161 fresh cases have been reported from different parts of the district. Presently about 500 Covid positive patients are under treatment in the Covid wards of the Government General Hospital. GGH Superintendent Dr Jaganatham told The Hans India that already 800 oxygen beds have been kept ready for emergency patients. Besides, 355 ventilators have been kept ready. Some doctors opined that in the current third wave, children might fall victims and keeping this in view about 20 beds have been kept ready in the ICU ward and 120 oxygen beds. The medical and health department has advised Primary Health Centres to treat Covid cases in the PHC's itself unless cases rise abnormally for referring them to the headquarter hospital. Meanwhile, two liquid medical oxygen plants and three natural oxygen plants have been set up in the hospital. The local super specialty hospital is also running two liquid oxygen plants on its premises. Also, oxygen plants have been set up at Hindupur, Guntakal, Kadiri, Tadipatri and Rayadurgam.

Covid virus is raising its ugly head once again in the district with the dawn of New Year. During the past 24 hours about 30 fresh Covid cases had been registered bringing the total number of tally to 70 positive cases. The positive cases in the district is proportionate with the sudden surge in Covid cases in AP as well as at the national level. After a lull in Covid cases for over two months, the infection is staging a comeback in the district with the registering of cases since the last week of December 2021 including 3 Omicron cases. Since the detecting of Omicron cases after Christmas in the district in foreign returned locals, the district administration including the medical and health department has woken up to the Omicron cases prompting them to issue a red alert and keeping the hospitals in a state of alertness.

The police too intensified its 'wear mask' campaign and imposing penalties on maskless pillion riders. Presently only 30 percent of population particularly the educated class only are wearing masks. Hotels, cinema theatres, shops and establishments and schools and colleges are lethargic regarding mask wearing. Of course, sign boards 'No mask No entry' can be seen in business establishments but nobody seemed to be taking it seriously. The sudden surge in Covid cases has woken up many from sleep. Many are not really taking virus as they had been vaccinated and are on the safe zone. The district registered 1,100 deaths on account of Covid-19 last year. There is also a section of people who believe that the number of Covid cases are more than being projected for the simple reason that that there is no tab on cases at the PHC level. More ever the seriousness of virus is missing and people suffering with cold, cough and throat pain are also being branded as mild Covid cases.

The district administration has stepped up vigil on the entry of foreigners into the district as well as the NRIs and local students studying in China and Phillipines etc. Besides foreign devotees of Sathya Sai Baba and visitors from Spain and European countries come to RDT for brief sojourn in RDT campus.

Meanwhile, District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan has warned people against negligence in the context of Omicron variant surfacing in the district.