VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM/KAKINADA/NELLORE: Three more persons with COVID-19 symptoms were admitted to Chest Hospital in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada government hospital and Eluru government hospital on Sunday. The condition of the Nellore youth, who tested positive for COVID-19, was reported to be stable and medical experts are closely monitoring the situation.
According to Dr Kiran, East Godavari nodal officer for COVID-19, a 38-year-old woman hailing from Antarvedi was admitted to GGH with coronavirus symptoms and kept in an isolation ward. She recently returned from Dubai.
“We have sent her samples for testing to VRDL at SVIMS in Tirupati. Results of the three samples sent on Saturday came back and they tested negative. However, the results of the four samples sent on Friday are still awaited as they were sent to National Virology Institute (NVI), Pune,” he told TNIE.
Health officials in Visakhapatnam said a youth in his early 30s was admitted to Chest Hospital in the city and his samples were sent for testing. As on date, total 19 suspected cases were admitted to Chest Hospital and results of 17 were negative.
Officials said as on Saturday, a total of 8,252 international passengers arrived at the Visakhapatnam airport and all of them were screened. Three had COVID-19 symptoms, but later tested negative. A 28-year-old youth from Kakialuru in Krishna district was admitted to Eluru Government Hospital in West Godavari district on Sunday with complaints of COVID-19 symptoms.
He was kept in isolation ward and samples were sent for testing. He had recently returned from Hyderabad.
In Nellore district, as many as 262 persons from abroad had returned and the officials asked the survey teams to trace them and have them quarantined in their respective houses for 14 days.
“Only four suspected cases in the special wards in GGH of which only one is tested positive till now. The other is negative and results of other two are awaited,’ said Joint Collector Dr V Vinod Kumar.
809 under observation
PV Ramesh, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, said that around 6,000 persons from abroad have returned to AP and every effort was being made to track them. As per the health bulletin released on Sunday evening, a total 809 were identified for observation, of which 28 are under hospital observation.
A total 79 samples have been sent for testing so far, of which only one was tested positive and results of 13 are awaited. With possible congregations at the temples being more, temple executive officers were advised to ensure less than 100 devotees are in queue lines at a time and clear the pilgrim rush at the earliest. They were also told to sanitise the queue lines from time to time.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. Apart from advising the pilgrims from postponing their visits, we are ensuring that there are less number of people in the queue lines and no waiting period. Every hour, temple officials are advised to give a break for sanitising the queue lines,” Principal Secretary (Endowments)
Collect passengers’ details, private bus operators told
The transport department has directed private bus operators to maintain complete details of the passengers travelling in their buses. Deputy Transport Commissioner S Venkateswara Rao said that the initiative was mooted to identify the passengers having symptoms of COVID-19 and provide necessary medical support to them
Sparsa darshan stopped at Srisailam temple
Srisailam temple administration has stopped sparsa darshan. Instead they are provided darshan from outside and devotees’ rush is being cleared much faster than normal days.
Virus casts its shadow on celestial wedding
Sitarama Kalyanam at Sri Kodandaramalayam in Vontimitta would be a low-key event this year. The celestial wedding would be performed inside the temple on April 7. Devotees urged to watch the event on SVBC V Usha Rani told TNIE.