Visakhapatnam: Tension mounts as Vizag records more Covid cases

Visakhapatnam: Tension mounts as more coronavirus cases have been reported in Visakhapatnam. After giving a two-week-long break from April 6, novel coronavirus positive cases started trickling in gradually in the city. Till then the City of Destiny was considered to be a safe zone. But, going by the number of cases getting recorded in the past couple of days, many feel apprehensive about the current situation in the district.

On Sunday, the denizens woke up to a rude shock as the district recorded five Covid-19 positive cases, highest count recorded on a single day. Unlike, two or three persons from the same family getting infected with the virus, the positive cases in the recent past were recorded at different neighbourhoods, including Madhavadhara, Gopalapatnam, Dandu Bazaar and Marripalem.

Earlier, it happened in the family at Allipuram. It was followed by another family at Revidi village in Bheemunipatnam. In Dandu Bazaar, the same family persons and their neighbours were tested positive for coronavirus.

With 13 coronavirus positive cases getting recorded in the past four days, district administration is on its toes taking up several containment measures. District Collector V Vinay Chand said that surveillance would be intensified in containment zones. The Red Zone radius is now confined to 500 metres from 3-km where the positive case is registered. However, buffer zone has been increased to 2.5-km instead of 2-km earlier.With more number of coronavirus positive cases getting registered in Visakhapatnam, containment zones have been increased to 15. They include Allipuram, Revidi, ITI Junction, Muslim Thatichetlapalem, Dandu Bazaar, Chengalraopeta, Gopalapatnam and Marripalem.

Containing the growing number of Covid-19 positive cases has turned out to be a daunting task for the district administration. On Monday, two more positive cases have been reported at Dandhu Bazaar, taking the total count to 37 in Visakhapatnam district. The health officials said that Dandu Bazaar recorded highest number positive cases in the district so far.

As social distancing went for a toss on Monday due to opening of liquor outlets in the district, many fear that there is a higher possibility of the virus getting spread in the district.