A frontline staffer, an ANM had to spend an entire night in rain, as her repeated pleas to her neighbours that she may be allowed to enter her house went unheeded. She had almost become an outcast in her locality since her husband tested COVID-19 positive a few days ago. With her video going viral, police intervened the next morning (July 23) and counselled the local residents to allow her to stay in her (own) house in Rajamahendravaram.
The incident reflects the kind of fear that has gripped the people of the district due to the rapidly spreading coronavirus and its severe impact on the lives of people.
Nearly 60% (6,594) of the total 11,067 COVID-19 cases reported in the East Godavari district emerged in one week (July 18-24), choking the administrative set-up to the extent that authorities could not even segregate localities for containment zones. In many cases, the COVID patients found to be asymptomatic are being advised to be in home isolation.
Curfew
As local containment strategies seemed infeasible, Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy imposed a curfew in the district every Sunday starting July 19, which will be in force till further orders.
Despite restrictions on the timings of liquor sales, the serpentine queues at the outlets in the two major COVID hotspots – Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram – has become a cause of concern. The disease has spread across 76 areas in the district, including urban bodies and agency areas.
"A total of 5,000 beds are ready in the COVID Care Centres at Bommuru and Bodasakkurru. At least 20,000 COVID kits (with medicines, equipment for COVID patients in home isolation) are available with all the hospitals in the district. Seven private hospitals have been designated as COVID hospitals," Mr. Muralidhar Reddy has been saying in various meetings over the past week.
