Screening of residents continued for the fourth consecutive day in the red zone areas comprising Akkayyapalem, Muslim Thatichetlapalem, Railway New Colony, NAD Kotha Road, ITI Junction, Poorna Market, Kancharapalem and Thatchetlapalem.
On Sunday, two persons with COVID-19 symptoms were sent to the isolation ward at Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases and nine were put on home quarantine.
As many as eight persons have been tested positive, including three from a family, from these areas in the last four days.
“The curve is flattening and there has been a spurt in COVID-1 cases as many of the Tablighi Jamaat returnees have been tested positive,” said a senior officer from the GVMC task force team.
Three-step strategy
With the spurt in cases, the district administration, along with the police and GVMC, has formulated a three-pronged strategy to contain and break the chain of spread of the virus.
As soon as a complaint is received at the control rooms of the GVMC or at the Collectorate, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) is alerted.
Around 20 RRTs have been formed to work in three shifts in the GVMC limits. “As soon as the control room receives a call, the RRT is informed and the team comprising a doctor, a multi-purpose community health assistant, an ambulance with driver and City Planning staff rushes to the spot,” said the GVMC officer.
After checking the case, the team takes the decision depending on the symptoms whether to send the patient to isolation ward or advise quarantine.
“If the case is serious and tests positive for COVID -19, we shift the patient to the GITAM hospital or the VIMS. The symptomatic cases are being shifted to the chest hospital or ENT hospital,” said GVMC Chief Medical Officer K.S.L.G. Sastry.
In the second phase, sanitation staff undertake extensive outdoor and indoor sanitisation. “We use mobile pumps for indoor sanitisation and fire tenders for the outdoor work. A mixture with at least 5% sodium hypochlorite is sprayed,” he said.
Containment zone
Immediately after this, the cluster committee barricades the area and the localities in 3-km radius is declared as the containment zone. Extensive survey and health check-ups are undertaken.
Clampdown
It is learnt that around 290 persons from the various containment zones have been screened till date and about 60 have been either quarantined or admitted to the isolation centres or quarantine wards or kept under home quarantine.
On Sunday, a strict clampdown was enforced in the red zones and containment areas. “All shops are closed down except for medicine stores. We faced problems to buy provisions and vegetables. The shops selling essential commodities were closed by 9 a.m.,” said a resident of Akkayyapalem.
Two patients discharged
Meanwhile, two patients of the total 15 who have been tested positive have been discharged after treatment. Both belong to the same family from Allipuram area and were among the the first cases to be reported from the city. They include a 65-year-old-man with a travel history to Saudi Arabia and a 49-year-old woman.
