The Prakasam district administration on Tuesday swung into action as eight more persons tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total to 11 in the district.
Panic-stricken people confined themselves to their houses as the authorities stepped up surveillance.
Meanwhile, reviewing the situation in Nellore, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Nani attributed the spurt in COVID-19 cases to a large number of people from the State returning after taking took part in a religious congregation at Nizamuddin near New Delhi in which persons from Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries too had participated.
The infected persons had either travelled with an elderly couple from Chirala to New Delhi to take part in the programme or had come in contact with them after the couple's return on March 17 to the district while taking part in social gatherings. Of the eight new cases, three each were from Kandukur and Chirala and one each from Ongole and Kunkalamarru, near Karamchedu.
Members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) began cluster containment programme in Ongole, Chirala, Kandukur and Kunkalamarru to prevent the spread of the disease. All entry and exit points to the localities from where the infected persons hailed were sealed. Persons, who had come in contact with the infected persons were isolated.
A sanitation drive was also undertaken by the civic staff in all localities in Ongole and other parts of the district. Civic staff went round the localities and cautioned people not to come out of their houses in view of the developing health situation.
‘It’s now or never’
Meanwhile, health workers monitored the condition of 964 foreign-returned persons who were put under home quarantine.
Reviewing the situation with District Collector P. Bhaskar and other district officials, COVID-19 Special Officer in-charge of Prakasam district B. Udayalakshmi along with Inspector General Mahesh Chandra Ladha said coordinated efforts by all concerned were the need of the hour to tackle “the now-or-never health situation.”
The IG wanted the staff concerned, including police personnel, to trace all foreign-returned persons and put them under observation.
