AP daily count surges to 1,257, caseload up to 4.7K

The sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the State continued on Sunday.

VIJAYAWADA/GUNTUR: The sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the State continued on Sunday. The State reported 1,257 new cases, the highest after September 24, 2021, from more than 38,000 samples tested in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday. Booster dose to eligible beneficiaries in the State will be given from Monday. The State has logged more than 20.81 lakh Covid cases so far.

The total samples tested have crossed the 3.16 croremark. The active caseload has surged past the 4,700-mark. According to a media bulletin released by the State Command Control Room, Chittoor reported the highest number of 254 fresh infections, followed by Visakhapatnam with 196, which continue to be the hotspot districts. Six districts logged more than 100 cases.

Barring Kadapa and West Godavari, the other 11 districts in the State witnessed a surge in the daily Covid count. Kadapa recorded the lowest number of 20 new cases. At least 11 students of a primary school at Santhoshapuram in Vizianagaram district tested positive for Covid. The number of recoveries continued to be less than new Covid cases.

A total of 140 patients were cured, taking the total number of recoveries to 20.62 lakh. Of the total active caseload of 4,774, Visakhapatnam accounted for 937, followed by Chittoor with 895. Only Prakasam (89) and Kurnool (97) have a caseload of less than 100. One death each was reported from Guntur and Visakhapatnam, taking the toll to 14,505 in the State.

As part of steps to strengthen medical infrastructure in the wake of spike in Covid cases, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will virtually inaugurate 133 PSA oxygen plants in 104 government hospitals in the State on Monday. PSA oxygen plants have been set up at 12 places each in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Krishna, two in Vizianagaram, 13 in East Godavari, seven each in West Godavari, Guntur and Nellore, five in Prakasam, 21 in Chittoor, eight in Kadapa, nine each in Anantapur and Kurnool.

14,346 oxygen beds in govt hospitals in State

The total production capacity of these plants is 1.2 lakh litres of oxygen per minute. Eleven more oxygen plants will come up in the State soon. As many as 18,268 oxygen pipelines have been laid at a cost of Rs 40.07 crore. A total sum of `426 crore has been spent on development of medical infrastructure alone and another Rs 297.36 crore for clinical management as part of the State’s preparedness to face the third wave of Covid. Guntur GGH Superintendent Dr Neelam Prabhavati, who inspected the oxygen plants on Sunday, said the two plants with 1,000 LPM (Litre Per Minute) capacity each have been set up in the hospital to ensure adequate supply of oxygen to Covid patients.

Now, oxygen can be supplied to 1,200 beds in the GGH, she added. With PM Cares funds, the government has set up 1,000 LPM oxygen plants in Tenali, Narasaraopet, Bapatla and Gorantla Fever Hospital, and 500 LPM plant in Sattenapalli. Now, the government hospitals in the State have a total of 14,346 oxygenequipped beds and another 3,942 beds will be added shortly. Further, private hospitals with a bed strength of 100 and above have been directed to set up oxygen plants.

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