In the light of the positive cases crossing the 32,000 mark on Monday, the district officials took stock of the situation at the COVID hospitals at Chittoor, Tirupati, Kuppam and Madanapalle.
The incidence of coronavirus cases is more in the eastern mandals in comparison to the western side of the district. The virus spread that remained confined to the urban pockets till April slowly made inroads in the rural side, affecting close to 1,500 villages. The task force officials said that by the end of the month, five hundred more villages were likely to be hit.
COVID-19 Task Force special officer P. Ravi Raju said that in view of rising number of cases in the rural areas, particularly on the border areas with Tamil Nadu, the field staff was sought to intensify the door-to-door survey and persuade the symptomatic persons to immediately get tested and seek the help of the gram volunteers. He said that apart from the designated and referral hospitals, the tests are regularly under way at several primary health centres, in addition to the mobile vehicles.
Surveillance at border
The police personnel at Satyavedu, Puttur and Nagari circles have intensified surveillance along the Tamil Nadu border, while placing restrictions on the sale of liquor in certain border villages to prevent the spread.
Tirupati Urban Development Authority chairman and Government Whip Chevireddi Bhaskar Reddy on Monday morning inspected the wards at the Padamavathi COVID Hospital at Tirupati. Interacting with the in-patients, medical and paramedical staff, Mr. Reddy said that any concern, such as dearth of beds or regarding the supply of medicines and medical equipments, should be immediately brought to his notice.
He also inquired about the quality of food being supplied to the patients and expressed happiness at the phenomenal rise in the number of patients getting discharged every day.
Coronavirus cases in the district till the months of July and August were confined to Tirupati Municipal Corporation limits, Srikalahasti and Tirupati rural mandals, Chittoor Municipal Corporation, municipalities of Puttur, Nagari, Palamaner and Punganur. The Madanapalle municipality, which did not have case till May mid, is now witnessing a spiralling increase in the number of cases.
