VIJAYAWADA: As part of its drive to check the spread of COVID-19, the Andhra Pradesh government conducted random tests in Visakhapatnam and all samples have returned negative.
This was conveyed to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during a review meeting on Sunday.
Officials said red zones — where COVID-19 cases were recorded in the city — were divided into eight clusters, and 20 people were chosen at random from each cluster for testing.
Among those chosen were elderly citizens and people who had returned from abroad. The Chief Minister asked the officials to carefully analyse the results of the door-to-door survey, reports from the health department and details collected with help from the police, and take necessary action while ensuring there are no lapses. He emphasised that all needed facilities should be provided to COVID-19 patients.
Officials were told to implement the Central government’s guidelines and conduct another round of tests on COVID-19 patients before proceeding for random testing of samples. Meanwhile, testing of those who returned from the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi and their primary contacts is in its last leg, and the government is now shifting its focus to identifying and testing their secondary contacts.
Officials of the Health department were told to set up special isolation wards at all government and private hospitals in the State. People with COVID-19 symptoms are to be tested and treated in isolation wards, while doctors and support staff are to take all precautions to prevent the spread of the infection.
The CM also emphasised the need to increase the strength of laboratories for testing samples and providing results at the earliest. He asked officials to work towards setting up testing laboratories in all 13 districts.
Directing officials to ensure the lockdown is implemented properly in places declared as red zones, he told them to be prepared to act based on the Central government’s directions after the lockdown ends on April 14. Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, DGP Gautam Sawang, Special Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy and other officials were present at the meeting.