Covid tally hits new high of 19,412 in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati: A record number of 98,214 tests turned out a new high of 19,412 positive cases of coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh in 24 hours ending 9 am on Saturday.

The state also reported 11,579 recoveries and 61 fresh fatalities in a day, a health department bulletin said

The gross positive cases has climbed to 11,21,102, recoveries to 9,82,297 and toll 8,053.

The state now has 1,30,752 active cases, the bulletin said.

Ten out of 13 districts reported fresh cases in excess of 1,000 each and the remaining less than 800 each.

State principal secretary (health) Anil Kumar Singhal told a press conference on Saturday evening that results of 1.30 lakh samples were overdue and they were trying to clear the backlog in the next two days.

"From Monday, we will hopefully deliver the results without any delay," Anil said.

He said out of the 43,491 beds available in 551 Covid-19 hospitals, 32,301 were now occupied.

"We have started a discharge drive in hospitals where the load is high. It started in Vijayawada, Guntur, Chittoor, Anantapur and other places. The more the beds the vacated, the more new patients can be accommodated," the principal secretary said.

Anil said 75,898 patients were now in home isolation.

"We are advising patients (with mild symptoms) to first get admitted to Covid Care Centres," he added.

On the oxygen supply position, Anil said 443 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen was delivered to the state on Saturday.