Vizag set to ramp up Covid-19 testing to 4,000 samples a day

Visakhapatnam: Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao said that efforts are on to increase the capacity of sample collection in the district to 4,000 per day from the current 3,000 samples a day for containing the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing media here on Friday, Srinivasa Rao mentioned that the government was taking all steps to contain novel Coronavirus and the district task force committee was formed for the same purpose.

In view of the rising number of positive cases in the district, the Minister said more tests would be conducted. "In the coming weeks, the cases are likely to increase further. Quarantine centres, Covid Care Centres should get all the basic infrastructure, quality food, drinking water and proper sanitary conditions. In all containment zones, lockdown restrictions should be implemented in a tough manner," the Minister made it clear.

Further, Srinivasa Rao stated there were 2,562 positive cases registered in the district so far. Of them, 1,644 were discharged after getting recovered. At present, the district has 871 active cases, while the death toll reached 47.

Speaking about the capacity, the Minister said 2,274 beds and 54 ventilators were available for Covid-19 patients and three sample collection centres, including Chest Hospital, Andhra Medical College that collect 3,000 samples a day. This apart, the Minister said 2,000 doctors, nurses and the staff in all the Covid Care Centres (CCC) were working round the clock. So far, 1 lakh persons were tested for coronavirus free of cost.

He instructed Joint Collectors P Arun Kumar and M Venugopal Reddy to constantly monitor the quarantine centres and CCC. Sanitation has been closely monitored and carried out in containment zones and improved in GVMC limits. District Collector V Vinay Chand said lockdown would be implemented in a tough manner in both urban and rural containment zones. Decentralised CCC have been established in urban, rural and Agency areas in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases. Sanjeevini mobile Covid testing buses will be deployed to conduct tests at Paderu, Narasipatnam, Anakapalle, Payakaraopeta, among other areas. GVMC Commissioner G Srijana, AMC Principal P V Sudhakar, District Medical and Health Officer S Tirupathi Rao, among others attended the conference.

Meanwhile traders have volunteered to impose lockdown from 6 am to 2 pm. The Visakha Merchants' Association met the Minister and assured that the lockdown restrictions will be followed after 2 pm. They appealed that other traders should also extend their cooperation to the restrictions.