VIJAYAWADA: The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 722 on Monday morning, when 64 samples tested positive (75 tested positive within 24 hours). With 16 new cases, Kurnool district now has 174 and tops the statechart. Guntur, meanwhile, recorded 20 new cases, taking its tally to 149. The number of deaths rose to 20, with one each recorded in Anantapur and Krishna districts. As many as 15 infectees have recovered in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister (Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani) said the emergence of 75 cases in a day indicates community transmission, but he didn’t elaborate on the issue. Chittoor district recorded 14 more cases from Srikalahasti and Tirupati, prompting authorities to mark more areas as red zones. Five cases were recorded in Krishna district, four in Anantapur, three in Kadapa, and two in East Godavari.
In Guntur, all 20 new cases were from Narasaraopet. The infectees are suspected to have come in contact with a cable operator who tested positive on April 9 and died on April 10.
Officials identified 21 primary contacts and 220 secondary contacts. All of them were tested and right primary contacts were found to be infected. Meanwhile, two government doctors who came in contact with the cable operator and were placed in home isolation have tested negative for coronavirus.
Among those who tested positive is a home guard who was a close friend of the cable operator. Nine others who tested positive are secondary contacts of the cable operator. All new cases were from red zones. Officials are clueless as to how the cable operator contracted the virus.