The district has been seeing a rapid increase in the number of daily COVID-19 cases and in just two days, the day count has tripled.
The number of cases recorded on January 10 was 151 and on Wednesday morning (January 12) the day count was 695.
On December 27, the number of cases recorded was just 7 and the active cases were 121. Since then, the district has recorded 2,129 cases in just 15 days and the active cases have gone up to 1,926, as on Wednesday morning.
The district also recorded five deaths, during this same period.
“This is a clear indication that the third wave is on us and the crucial period would be from January 20 to the first week of February when the cases would peak,” said a senior doctor from King George Hospital.
According to the former Principal of Andhra Medical College P.V. Sudhakar, the cases would see a steep rise post January 20, immediately after the Sankranti festivities.
Experts from the medical field say that since the government has not imposed any kind of restrictions, keeping the festival in mind, people have let their guard down and shopping is at its peak. Every mall or shop is bursting at its seams and since the virus is highly transmissible, we can expect a peak post the festival, said a senior doctor from King George Hospital.
‘No clarity on variant’
“As very few samples are being sent for genome sequencing, we cannot say if the virus circulating now is Omicron or Delta,” said senior microbiologist from GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hema Prakash. But whatever may be the variant, the spread is rapid, as it is highly transmissible, but the good sign is that most of the cases so far are milder than what we have seen during the second wave, she said.
Analysing the wave pattern, Dr. Hema said during the first wave the spread was gradual and infections were of moderate nature and during the second wave the infections peaked for about 40 to 50 days and the severity was high. There is a prediction that the third wave would peak and sustain for about 20 to 25 days, and the transmissible rate would be all time high, but the severity would be milder, she said.
Meanwhile, with 695 new cases, the total count in the district has gone up to 1,61,469. During the last 24 hours , 24 persons undergoing treatment have recovered, taking the total recoveries to 1,58,390.
No deaths were recorded, keeping the count at 1,112 and active cases have gone up to 1,967.
