Guntur district has been recording a steep spike in COVID-19 positive cases in the unlock-2 phase. With 3,356 positive cases being registered so far, Guntur stands third and just below Kurnool (3,823) and Anantapur (3,356). The total number of confirmed cases in the State are 33,109, up by 1,916 since Monday, but the good news is that there is 52.9% of recovery and just 1.29% of mortality rate.
A day after recording 387 cases, the district recorded 305 cases on Tuesday, out of which Guntur city recorded 107 cases.
The figures show a pattern of steep rise in COVID-19 positive cases since the unlock began in the first week of June.
With lesser travel restrictions and opening of shops, people began to move freely. The testing has been ramped up, with the virology labs able to do testing of 2,000 samples, but an overload of samples delays the test results.
Amid the uncertainty and fear of the community transmission of the pandemic, the district administration has imposed a graded lockdown allowing shops and commercial establishments to remain open till 12 noon. This led to public outcry with shopkeepers pleading that the shops be kept open till 2 p.m. at least, but the request has not been heeded so far.
Containment
Residential areas in Brodiepet continue to be under severe containment with access blocked on all sides. Several areas in Lakshmipuram, Chandramouli Nagar, Krishna Nagar, and Pattabhipuram continued to be in the containment zone.
District Collector I. Samuel Ananda Kumar visited Vinukonda to take stock of the situation. On Monday, he visited Mangalagiri which recorded 20 positive cases this week.
“I urge people to follow physical distancing and take all basic precautions. We have got more number of rapid antigen testing kits with a capacity to give results within one hour of test,” said the Collector.
On the other hand, the local administration has been crippled with several departmental heads either testing positive or opting for home isolation. Departmental heads of rural development, health, a municipal commissioner in Tenali, several superintendents have been forced to opt for home isolation. Random tests showed that several staff members working in the government offices have tested positive.
Superintending Engineer, SPDCL, M. Vijaya Kumar, made it clear that only 50% of staff are allowed inside the office premises at Sangadigunta after some staffers tested positive.
