Rising Covid cases cause concern in Pilgrim City

Tirupati: The Covid positive cases have been increasing every day in Tirupati for the past 10 days. In the absence of any precautionary steps, the cases may reach the triple-digit mark in no time. Yet, there were no review meetings of officials to take stock of the situation and to take any preventive steps and no guidelines on safety protocols were issued.

Almost 90 per cent of people are not using masks and completely ignored sanitisers. The city has been witnessing various political activities in which no party worker or leader has been wearing masks. No leader is cared enough to give a call to people to wear masks which can only prevent them from Covid. Even at public places like railway stations and in airport it is not being strictly followed.

The city and the surrounding areas have reported 13 cases on Friday while on Thursday there were 21 cases and on Wednesday 19 cases. Despite the increasing number of cases the officials were showing their apathetic attitude in cautioning the people about the current trend and the need for strictly adhering to the safety protocols.

The attitude of officials has been indifferent about the Covid threats. They simply say that the maximum number of people has been vaccinated and conveniently ignore the fact that vaccination cannot prevent anyone from getting infected from the virus.

Even after the daily cases started crossing 20, there was no information available on the number of active cases, number of tests being conducted daily, available Covid beds in different government hospitals. The officials were often not responding to give any information on Covid related issues.

However, Ruia hospital authorities have started a separate Covid ward with 120 beds, including 40 oxygen and 80 non-oxygen beds. A swab collection centre to conduct RT-PCR tests has also been started near the OP block.

Meanwhile, the doctors have been saying that about 85 per cent of the Covid cases may have mild symptoms or asymptomatic. They are saying that only masks can protect people from getting infected with coronavirus and hence masks should not be ignored whenever going out or moving in public places.