Coronavirus continued to rage with full fury in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh claiming the lives of 12 more patients and infecting close to 2,900 persons in a span of 24 hours.
The virus showed no signs of loosening its vice-like grip as the active cases rose to a new high of little over 32,500 in the region, including 16,500-plus cases in SPSR Nellore district, in the last 24 hours ending 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
No day passed without deaths in double digits in the region where the toll rose to 1,368 with SPSR Nellore district accounting for eight deaths and Prakasam district for four deaths during the period, according to a health bulletin released by the State government.
Meanwhile, 1,500 patients, including 906 in SPSR Nellore district, recovered during the period. However, the number of persons getting infected was higher by 1,400 when compared to those getting cured in the region.
Review meeting
Holding a maiden review meet in Nellore after recovering from COVID, State Industries Minister Goutham Reddy said he had taken up with his Tamil Nadu counterpart Thangam Thennarasu the urgent need for six tonnes of oxygen to augment its availability in Nellore.
Special Chief Secretary to State Government R. Karikal Valaven was taking all steps to meet the increasing demand for oxygen, the Minister said.
SPSR Nellore Collector K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu said that JSW in Bellary had offered to provide 12 tonnes of oxygen to the district.
He said there was no shortage of essential medicines, including Remdesivir.
The Minister directed the officials to ensure that the vaccination drive is undertaken from two places in each mandal, at spacious school buildings instead of congested public health centres.
Medical kits donated
In Ongole, Indian Red Cross Society Prakasam district chairman handed over 50 medical kits to Additional Superintendent of Police B. Ravichandra to treat increasing COVID patients among police personnel at the grassroots level.
