Andhra CM directs officials to isolate Covid-19 suspects in urban areas

An official bulletin of the state medical and health department said a 49-year-old male from Kakinada and another 72-year old male from Rajahmundry tested positive on Monday afternoon.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday directed authorities to step up measures for isolation of coronavirus suspects in the urban areas, with more focus on home isolation as the state recorded two more positive cases. The state’s Covid-19 positive number stands at 23.

An official bulletin of the state medical and health department said a 49-year-old male from Kakinada and another 72-year old male from Rajahmundry tested positive on Monday afternoon.

“The travel details of these two patients are being traced currently. A total of 33 samples have been tested since last night out of which 31 proved negative and two are positive,” he said.

Jagan, who conducted a high-level meeting in the afternoon to review the Covid-19 situation in the state, directed that an adequate number of beds should be set up in every district for isolation. If necessary, the CM added, the district officials should take over all private hospitals and nursing homes and use them for isolation.

So far 16,723 beds have been made available at all isolation centres and 5,000 more could be added. The CM asked the officials to sanitise and make use of the halls and hotels, if necessary.

The district collectors apprised the chief minister of the preparedness of facilities and number of beds under various categories to meet any contingency. The existing 6,762 non-ICU beds are increased to 8,050 beds, 336 ICU beds to 515, and 148 ventilator beds, they told him.

As the virus outbreak in urban areas was more due to the higher density of population and high number of foreign returnees, the CM asked the officials to intensify the measures being taken in urban areas.

Jagan said migrant labourers and workers who were stranded at various places across the state and border will be provided with good accommodation and quality food. The officer in charge will monitor the situation at the camps.

The chief minister has instructed the officials to ensure clean and sanitised surroundings in urban and rural areas. Monitoring on positive cases reported areas will be intensified, he added.