With a significant jump in COVID-19 casesin the last one week, the district administration has set up 12COVID Care Centres in the district.
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Threecentres were set up up in the district headquarters and two in S. Kota Assembly constituency, according to officials. Other Assembly constituencies such as Nellimarla, Gajapathinagaram, Cheepurupalli, Kurupam, Saluru, Parvatipuram and Bobbili will get one centre each.
The centres will have acombined bed strength of 1,160, and patients admitted here would be monitored round the clock by nodal officers. Medical officers and staff would provide treatmentto the patients and refer serious cases to the district headquarters hospital.
The district administration has swung into action after a steep rise in COVID-19 cases. Till a few days ago, the daily tally of positive cases stood at around 200. This number has now risen to 1,029 on Thursday, while 681 fresh cases were reported on Friday.
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Currently, 3,390 patientsare under the observation of authorities. The officials identified 30 places in the district from where the most number of COVID-19 cases are being reported. District Medical Officer S.V. Ramana Kumari said that top priority was given for more tests so that the positive cases could be identified quickly.
In the backdrop of a report published in The Hindu over lack of testing facilities and collection of up to ₹1,500for tests in laboratories,Dr. Ramana Kumariissued orders regulating charges for the testsat private laboratories. She said that no laboratory should collect more than ₹350 per COVID-19 test.
“All hospitals and laboratories which were authorisedto conducttests should display the charges prominently, failing which action would be taken in accordance with the rules framed by the Indian Council for Medical Research,” Dr. Ramana Kumari said. She urged people to follow COVID-19 protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.