Surveillance in Visakhapatnam containment zones tightened

Dr. K S Jawahar Reddy (IAS), Special Chief Secretary – Health, Medical & Family Welfare, AP, convened a video conference, from Amaravati on Sunday, with all District Collectors. The Commissioner of Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department, KS Bhaskar (IAS), the Visakhapatnam District Collector, V. Vinay Chand (IAS), and State COVID-19 Special Officer, Girija Shankar and GVMC Commissioner, G Srijana had also participated in the video conference. District Collector Vinay Chand said that the urban and rural surveillance teams are efficiently checking each house in the containment zones in Visakhapatnam, identifying those people with symptoms, conducting tests and placing the affected people in a 14-28 day quarantine. This is being done under the supervision of doctors and medical staff he stated.

Mr. Vinay Chand also updated that Visakhapatnam District has already seen 20 positive cases and no positive cases have been reported in the last two to three days. He had also personally visited  Akkayapalem containment zone on Saturday and took stock of all the problems, and grievances, the residents were having. He said “So far, 446 suspected cases have been detected in the seven containment zones in Visakhapatnam during surveillance. The District Collector also informed that a number of people, who had arrived from abroad, have completed their 28 days quarantine. They have tested negative and therefore been discharged. The authorities are keeping a regular check on their health status. Regarding the Payakaraopeta case, it has been identified that the victim had contacted 56 people. As of now, 37 are negative and the remaining 19 are under scrutiny.”

The District Collector also mentioned King George Hospital (KGH), being the biggest in North Andhra is facing an issue with large numbers of in-patients and out-patients. He said, “This is creating difficulty in running a coronavirus specific ward. The coronavirus cases are being seen at VIMS Hospital, GITAM Medical Hospital, ENT Hospital and Chest Hospital. Single rooms were made available with all the facilities at Pradhama Hospital, with 144 cases, and Chest Hospital, with 31 cases, in relation to quarantine. The Gayatri College, NRI and Apollo Hospital have 2,000 to 2,500 single bedrooms, equipped with quality food and sanitation, for quarantine purposes. The Control Room is receiving 50 to 60 calls and immediately necessary action.s are being taken PPE kits and masks manufactured by certified vendors are being given to the medical staff”.

COVID-19 Update