Coronavirus: Kurnool keeps Andhra Pradesh, Telangana State on tenterhooks

Kurnool: Covid-19 positive cases are alarmingly increasing by every passing day in Kurnool district. A total number of 129 cases were reported up to 10 am on Saturday. In a span of 24 hours, five persons were tested positive and a death was also reported taking casualties to three. According to the information given by the district administration, a 69-years-old, resident of Budwara Peta in the town that died on Saturday was a corona positive.

For the administration, which has put all protocols in place and has been doing a remarkable job in quarantining the suspects even at homes, the latest death has come in as a real challenge. In fact, the death of this particular doctor, a Unani practitioner, comes as a challenge not only to Andhra Pradesh but also to Telangana. The hospital run by the deceased in the town is a popular hospital. The deceased's son is also a doctor. This hospital not only catered to the needs of patients from Kurnool but also from the neighbouring Telangana. A network of quacks linked to the hospital were driving patients to the hospital since long from both the States, it is learnt.

Now, it is a herculean task for the administration to identify all those who might have got treated by the father-son duo and their family members and others who could have come in contact.

Perhaps, this requires a joint effort of the two governments because identifying the patients and their contacts through the RMPs is quintessential now to arrest the spread of Covid-19 in both the States.

The victim was admitted at Viswabharati Cancer Hospital, a Covid hospital in the district. During the course of medication, the patient's health condition had deteriorated abruptly. The hospital rushed him to the Kurnool Government General Hospital. But, he was brought dead there.

Kurnool district saw a spurt in the corona positive cases in the densely populated old town. The administration has been tight-fisted about the prohibitory orders here to arrest the local spread of the virus. The town has about 1,000 students and others who had come from foreign lands and now under quarantine already while the second batch of virus cases is because of people who have come from north India. The administration is doing its best to sensitise people to eradicate social stigma, yet a greater cooperation could really help it in the fight against the corona spread. Old town, Prakash Nagar and Budwara Peta areas are key to the fight now.