Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the officials to focus on Kurnool, Guntur, Krishna and Nellore districts where more number of COVID-19 positive cases have been recorded.
“Ensure that more number of tests are done in these districts since we have got rapid testing kits on hand. Ensure people at quarantine centres are provided the best of facilities,’’ the Chief Minister said.
At a review meeting on COVID-19, attended by Deputy CM Alla Kali Srinivas, Chief Secretary Neelam Sawhney, Special Chief Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) K.S. Jawahar Reddy on Tuesday, he took stock of the measures being taken to combat the pandemic.
The officials told the Chief Minister that tests were being intensified with the availability of 222 TrueNAT testing kits. On Monday, 5,022 RT-PCR tests were held, apart from rapid tests. The Government General Hospital at Kurnool was converted into a COVID hospital and all inmates have been shifted to other hospitals.
Plasma therapy
They also sought the permission of the Chief Minister to start plasma therapy to treat the patients in view of the encouraging results.
“Of the 32,000 tests conducted so far of the people who have been surveyed, 2,000 have tested positive. We will ensure the remaining tests are conducted soon. So far, 7,100 persons have been moved to quarantine centres. Farmers’ concerns should be addressed by speeding up paddy procurement,’’ he said.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said he had spoken to his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani over the phone to highlight the plight of A.P. fishermen stuck there, and urged the latter to provide all assistance to them.
