2 more Covid-19 +ve cases in AP
Andhra Pradesh on Thursday reported two more positive cases of Coronavirus (Covid-19).
The second Covid-19 positive case in Andhra Pradesh was reported today at Ongole in Prakasam district. The victim is a 24-year old youth studying at New Castle in London. He returned to Ongole, his hometown, on March 15.
He developed cough and fever on the same day and voluntarily got admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital at Ongole the next day since the fever did not recede. His sample was sent to the virology lab in Vijayawada on March 17. He was declared Coronavirus positive at around 11.30 pm on March 18.
The state recorded its third Covid-19 positive case when reports late night on Thursday of a patient admitted to the Government ID and Chest Hospital were confirmed positive on. The first case was registered in Nellore, and the second in Ongole today.
Andhra Medical College principal Dr P.V. Sudhakar, who also heads the Covid surveillance team, confirmed the case, saying swabs of seven patients were sent to the virology department in Tirupati, of which, four were negative.
A medical team visited the patient’s house and shifted his family members to a quarantine ward soon after the reports came, Dr Sudhakar said. He said that as per central government contingency plans, a house to house survey would be conducted surrounding the hospital from Friday. The travel history of the patient was not confirmed. Health sources said three more admitted in the same chest hospital and one in Vizianagaram are showing symptoms of the virus but their test results are awaited. Doctors said the patient in his late 60s, who came from Saudi Arabia after completing his pilgrimage at Macca, reached the city on March 14. Having contacted cold and cough, he went to a small private hospital in Marripalem and from there to a corporate hospital. The doctors there found strong symptoms and referred him to the Government ID and Chest Hospital . The confirmation report came in the evening
Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam district administration appealed to the people not to panic and remain indoors.
Earlier, in Ongole, district medical and health officer Dr Padmavathi, speaking to media after the second case was confirmed, said that the patient was kept in the isolation ward at RIMS and his condition was stable. She said that they have shifted his parents and sister to a quarantine ward in RIMS on Thursday.
“We are trying to get information on all the people who came into contact with the family,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prakasham district administration led by collector Pola Bhaskar have decided to cover a distance of three kilometers radius around the patient’s residence as containment zone. The state health department and the Ongole Municipal Corporation have launched a sanitation drive in the containment zone and disinfected the house of the victim.
District administration has formed 60 teams with doctors, Asha workers and district officers to contain spread of the virus.