Ten more persons, seven in SPSR Nellore and three in Prakasam districts, have tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday.
With this, the tally rose to 49 in Nellore district and 27 in Prakasam district, health officials said. Meanwhile, two persons, one each from Nellore and Ongole, have been discharged on recovery.
Three of those who tested positive in Nellore on Wednesday included close contacts of an infected doctor who is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai. The doctor’s wife, driver and paramedic had contracted the infection. Meanwhile, a doctor, who came in close contact with him, is missing.
With the detection of new cases, all entry points to Magunta Layout were closed to restrict movement of people. The containment action plan was implemented with full vigour in, among other places, Nellore, Naidupeta, Kavali, Gudur, Tada and Vakada. Sanitation drive was stepped up in the affected areas, and police personnel posted at major traffic junctions restricted unnecessary travel.
In Prakasam district, all the three persons who tested positive were from the red zone area of Islampet in Ongole.
In all, 101 persons who had either returned from New Delhi after attending a religious meet or those who came in contact with them were tested for the disease.
Meanwhile, the Prakasam district administration geared up for conducting random rapid testing in the red zone areas in Ongole, including Old Market Centre, Pernamitta and Kondamitta, where positive cases were reported.
The health staff concerned were provided with necessary training to conduct the test to prevent the spread of the disease, explained District Collector P. Bhaskar. He appealed to people to confine themselves to their homes to prevent spread of the disease.
