A 77-year-old woman succumbed to coronavirus while 18 persons tested positive in SPSR Nellore district in the last 24 hours.
With the death of the elderly woman from Rajendranagar in the city, the toll rose to four in the district. The total number of confirmed cases crossed the 200-mark, health officials said.
The COVID-19 hotspot of Sullurpeta accounted for 12 positive cases followed by Nellore with two and Atmakur, Sangam, Kaluvaya and Kodavaluru one case each.
Koyambedu link
Officials blamed the spurt in cases to a few traders from the district visiting the Koyambedu market in neighbouring Tamil Nadu to buy perishable goods. There are indications that the virus is now spreading to newer areas at the community-level, officials said.
The new cases were attributed to traders visit to the Koyambedu market for perishable goods and indicated that the disease was spreading to newer areas at the community-level.
As many as 90 persons are undergoing treatment, including 48 patients at the COVID-19 isolation ward in the Government General Hospital. The rest of the 42 patients are being treated at Narayana Hospital. A majority of the new cases had contracted the disease after visiting Chennai.
Following detection of the fresh cases, police enforced the lockdown stringently in the clusters identified as red zones in the district. The new set of cases came after the first set of patients, who had returned from Delhi, were cured of the disease.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance with a view to identify persons with suspected symptoms in the various containment clusters.
State-owned buses with a handful of passengers began plying to various destinations from the bus station, which was given a facelift. E-commerce firms were allowed to extend their services outside the containment zones, said Joint Collector V. Vinod Kumar.
Meanwhile, the Mother and Child Hospital overflowed with patients after relaxation of lockdown conditions in areas outside red zones. Hospital staff had a tough time in ensuring that the large number of patients observed social distancing.
Prakasam tally rises
A person hailing from Ammanabrolu village in Prakasam district tested positive for coronavirus in Ongole on his return from Mumbai, taking the number of active cases in the district to five, COVID-19 nodal officer John Richardson said. As many as 63 patients were cured of the disease.
In Ongole, Prakasam District Collector P. Bhaskar announced a fine of ₹50 on those stepping out of homes without wearing masks, and a fine of ₹100 on those maintaining social distancing while coming out to purchase essential commodities.
Shopkeepers violating social distancing norms will be imposed a ₹500 fine for the first instance and in case of repeated violations, their shops will be closed. There will be no relaxation in lockdown in Ongole, where 34 persons tested positive, officials said.
