Positive news for Khammam district as Covid cases decline

Khammam: Finally, there is positive news for Khammam district as Covid-19 cases drastically slowed down in all mandals in the district. In the initial stages, Khammam district was at the top in the list of Covid positive cases in the State. Though lockdown was lifted in the State, the government continued lockdown in three constituencies that were close to Andhra Pradesh. This shows the severity of Covid in Khammam district.

As more number of cases were registered in villages in April and May months, a special team consisting of Principal Secretary, Health, Medical and Family Welfare, Director and other senior officials from the Chief Minister's Office held a review meeting in the district in May.

Continuation of lockdown, providing awareness on Covid vaccination among the public made the positive cases to reduce slowly. Now in the last week of June, corona infected cases came down, giving respite to the people. Doctors, who were very busy in treating Covid patients, now resumed normal duties of treating regular patients in all Government Hospitals. From Wednesday, the medical department officials started using the isolation centres set up at government hospital as regular wards. The Covid pandemic helped in upgrading 200-bed Khammam Government Hospital as 550-bed and setup an oxygen plant for using to the patients round-the-clock. Sathupalli and Penuballi hospitals were upgraded to 100-bed hospitals.

According to health department officials, Covid tests were conducted to 22,987 people at Khammam main hospital in June and 2,201 were tested positive. In Sathupalli, tests conducted for 6,273, out of which 1,428 were positive and in Penuballi, tests conducted for 6,808 and 956 were positive. The officials said that 3,848 Covid cases were reported in Khammam Hospital in May and only 1,730 cases were reported in June.

Stating that it's good news for the people, the doctors said, but people must follow Covid norms and wear masks compulsorily. As people became aware of the dangers of Covid-19 during first and second wave of the virus, they should continue precautionary measures in future also, they suggested.