Andhra Pradesh: Several areas in Hindupur town declared as 'red zone'

Hindupur (Anantapur): The corona positive cases in the district have risen to 6, all hailing from Hindupur town, while one have succumbed to the virus. Curfew has been clamped in the town and several areas from which the corona positive cases hailed have been declared as a red zone.

All the five positive cases are in isolation ward and under treatment. On March 29, two persons were tested positive, on April 4, one person was tested positive and on April 5, three persons were tested positive and one of them succumbed to the virus, bringing the total number of virus victims to five persons, according to District Collector Gandham Chandrudu, in his communication to the state government.

Rumours spread that five doctors and a nurse, who attended on the corona positive persons, also contracted the virus but the authorities scorched the rumours as incorrect. The staff nurse attending on the positive patient, who died was examined and blood samples tested declared her as negative.

Blood samples of the doctors and ambulance driver also were sent for clinical examination. Hindupur Tahsildar Sreenivasulu and Municipal Commissioner Bhavani Prasad advised the local populace against defying the curfew and coming out of their homes in the context of all positive cases hailing from the red zone in the town. Meanwhile, COVID-19 special officer appointed by state government to the district T Babu Rao Naidu told The Hans India at shelter homes, 23 destitutes living on roads, had been sheltered and food was provided to them by the NGOs, social distancing and sanitation is well maintained.

He also observed that sanitation was well maintained in Anantapur town and suggested that similar measures should be taken in other municipalities. He said all data of foreign returnees was communicated to medical officers and field level staff for appropriate surveillance and action. At the 32 intensive care units as many as 6 ventilators were made available at each ICU unit and ICUs were well maintained, he added.

He said the district needs 15 more ventilators, personnel protection equipment, N-95 masks, eye protection goggles, medicines, surgicals and manpower including a pulmonologist, physician, anesthetists and related technicians, nurses and housekeeping personnel. He recommended appointment of a dedicated officer for overseeing clinical instruments requirements and studying future demand.

He said that gaps should be addressed to sensitise with regard to foreign returnees, foreign returnee contacts and high-risk persons, if any, including recent Delhi returned or from any other states, territory contacts through foreign returnees and their contacts and demarcations into red zones and hot spots.

His suggestions include daily follow-up action on protocol, training to health protocol, surveillance protocol and follow-up action. District Collector Gandham Chandrudu has acted on the special officer's report. He appointed Additional DMHO as nodal officer for follow-up action on the report recommendations.