The fresh surge in coronavirus cases in parts of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh in the last few days prompted the district administration to scale up COVID-19 testing and vaccination drive in the district to prevent the spread.
Special focus has been laid on the border mandals and the industrial belt of the district frequented by a large number of trucks carrying various goods, industrial raw materials and products from different States, sources said.
Collector M.V. Reddy has instructed mandal level officials to ensure strict adherence of the COVID-19 safety protocols by industries, function halls and all other business establishments and invoke the provisions of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, against the violators.
As part of efforts to increase vaccine coverage, the daily target for administering the vaccine has been set at around 1,000 doses, including 375 in the District Headquarters Hospital, 250 in Bhadrachalam Area Hospital, 250 in the CHSs, and 125 in the PHCs.
In adherence to the “test, track, treat” approach, the authorities have made COVID-19 testing facilities available in all 29 PHCs and all major State-run health facilities besides the designated centres in a few private hospitals, sources in the health department said.
However, the fresh surge in cases in the neighbouring States and slight increase in the daily case count in the district with a long inter-State border brought into focus the urgent need for strengthening screening and treatment services across the district.
COVID control room
Meanwhile, a COVID control room has been set up at the DMHO’s office in Kothagudem to disseminate information on testing and vaccination centres. It can be reached at 08744-246655.
