AP Increases Covid-19 Tests to 10,000 per day, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy Orders Strict Norms for Red Zones

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday increased the number of daily Covid-19 testings from 6,000 to 10,000 tests per day. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed officials to make sure that all hospitals in red zones strictly followed all medical procedure and acted accordingly.

During a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation in the state, officials said, so far, 1,25,229 tests have been conducted averaging to 2,345 tests per million population in the state and 10,292 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. Out of these, 67 were found positive taking the total number of active cases in the state to 1,093.

Officials also claimed that Andhra Pradesh stood first among other states with the highest number of Covid-19 tests done with the support of advanced mechanisms in 11 labs across the state.

The Covid-19 positive rate for the country stands at 3.84 per cent and for the state, it is 1.32 per cent. While the mortality rate in the country stands at 3.27 per cent, the state boasts of a mortality rate of only 2 per cent.

The officials said that all 32,792 identified during household surveys will be undergoing the Covid-19 test within the next 24 hours.

The chief minister directed the officials to implement telemedicine on a big scale and make arrangements for doorstep delivery of medicine to the patients and asked to display the toll-free numbers in all village secretariats.

In regard to the transport facilities for migrants, Reddy clarified that the relaxations were only meant for migrant workers, students and tourists stranded outside the state. He firmly told the public to stay put wherever they were and not rush for any journey as it might lead to the spread of coronavirus.

He also informed officials to complete setting up quarantine centres at all village secretariats on a war footing and categorise all those coming in the state based on their previous stay, what zones they fall under, and accordingly proceed with the quarantine norms.

Reddy also asked the officials to brace up for the Amphan cyclone, which is likely to hit the state within the next few days. Keeping the situation in view, he asked officials to step up purchase of crops from the farmers and also cautioned fishermen not to venture into the sea.

He emphasised on precautionary measures to be taken during the cyclone and told to procure crops and perishable goods that might get damaged due to the cyclone.