COVID-19 in Visakhapatnam: 2382 beds set up at 12 quarantine centres

District Collector V Vinay Chand said that to combat COVID-19 a total of 2382 beds have been readied at 12 quarantine centres in Visakhapatnam. Expert teams surveyed various hospitals and colleges and set up 400 beds at Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), 200 at Andhra University Men’s Hostel, 90 at Government Mental Care Hospital, 90 at Kommadi Gayatri Vidya Parishad, 50 at Regional Eye Hospital, 364 at Rushikonda GITAM Medical College, 200 at GITAM Hospital, 748 at GITAM Engineering College, 100 at Sangivalasa NRI Hospital,  50 at Hanumantawaka Dr LV Prasad Eye Hospital, 50 at AP Tourism Rushikonda and 40 at Appu Ghar.

Additionally, 2000 isolation wards have been arranged at state and private hospitals. The Collector said that 320 isolation beds are ready at government hospitals and 1680 beds have been readied at private hospitals.

Visakhapatnam reported its third case of COVID-19 on 23rd March as the total number of cases in Andhra Pradesh rose to seven. The patient is a 25-year-old male, who returned from Birmingham, United Kingdom, via Delhi, to Vizag, where he underwent thermal screening at the airport.

In the wake of the outbreak, Visakhapatnam District Collector issued orders to impose Section 144 across the district. This order prohibits the assembly of four, or more people, in an area. Any violator of this code can be booked for engaging in rioting. However, it is to be noted that several essential services will remain functional for the public.