Alarming rise of Covid cases in Chittoor district

Tirupati: The Covid positive cases have crossed 1,500 mark in Chittoor district on Tuesday which were only 13 on January 2. The spread of the virus was so rampant this time that it took just two weeks for the positive cases to touch 1,500 mark while during the first wave in 2020, the highest number of 1326 cases were recorded after 138 days of reporting of the first case.

During the second wave in 2021 it took around four months for the positives to cross 1,500 mark.

Tirupati city reported 540 cases while the rural mandal ended up with 110 cases on Tuesday taking the total to 650 cases. The number of active cases in the district has reached 8,332 now. Given the alarming picture of Covid in Tirupati city and rural mandal, the CPI flayed the apathy of civic authorities in taking containment steps. They expressed a critical view of allowing chats and other eateries in the city which have become the super spreaders.

CPI leaders J Viswanath, Kumar Reddy and others met city MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and Commissioner PS Girisha on Tuesday and submitted a representation seeking them to have the same concern on Covid patients which they exhibited during the national kabaddi tournament.

They highlighted that the city has been getting a huge pilgrim influx daily and several programmes were being held here which spread the virus fast resulting in a large number of cases.

They pointed out that the government machinery has failed to take precautionary steps in providing proper medical care to the rising number of patients causing them a lot of inconvenience. The Covid care centres should be opened immediately with all doctors and nursing staff and quality food to be served to the patients.

It may be noted that the Covid patients at the Vishnu Nivasam Covid care centre held a flash protest on Monday night complaining against the food being served to them. Officials consoled them that they will send good food again but failed to do so. As a result they spent the night without food, it was learnt.

Meanwhile, several teachers despite getting vaccinated and students have tested positive for Covid in the district. Several doctors, nursing staff and staff working at the DM & HO office were also infected with the virus.

Several positive patients were taking it light as they are not having much symptoms and moving normally with others. This has been causing further spread of the virus. The officials have to strictly monitor the home isolation patients and ensure that they should be confined to their homes till the stipulated period is completed.

Chittoor also reported the highest number of 166 cases on Tuesday while Renigunta accounts for 74 followed by Kuppam with 66 and Piler with 43 cases. Out of 66 mandals, except seven, all other mandals have reported one or more cases.