The district recorded 262 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as on Tuesday morning.
This is said to be the highest single-day tally in this year, taking the total number of cases to 63,551.
According to health officials, this was also the highest single-day tally, since the last seven months.
The district also recorded two deaths, taking the tally to 552, since the outbreak of the pandemic, last March.
Meanwhile, 169 persons recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of discharges to 61, 225.
Meanwhile, the district administration has scaled up the testing to about 6,500 per day.
‘No new strains’
Keeping the rise in cases in mind, the district administration has readied 600 beds in Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) and 500 in the new CSR block in KGH. “All the beds have oxygen connection and the required staff has been kept on alert,” said Mr. Vinay Chand.
The District Collector also confirmed the no new strains have been found so far, and 95% of the new cases are from the urban areas.
Mr. Vinay Chand also said that 95% of the cases as of now have been mild and were being treated under home isolation. “We only have about 20 patients in the hospital with some complications,” he said.
Monitoring committee
As most of the cases at present are being treated at home, the district administration has formed a 40-member special home isolation monitoring committee.
All the 40 members are doctors from various disciplines and function in three shifts 24/7.
Explaining their role, Mr. Vinay Chand said, “Once we get the daily list of positive cases, the doctors call up the respective ward secretariat and informs them about the positive case in their region and tells them what to do. The secretariat officials then visit the patients, hands over the COVID kit, lays a 50-metre parameter around the house and sanitises the area and instructs them on the treatment,” he said.
