With many COVID-19 cases being reported from even remote villages of Vizianagaram district, the administration has laid focus on controlling the spread of the virus in rural areas with a multi-pronged approach. Special teams have been formed in all 34 mandals, including the tribal areas, for the purpose.
As fever is an important symptom of COVID-19, officials have taken up a door-to-door survey in villages and have so far covered 2,63,248 houses against the total of 7,47,312 in the district. The results of the survey, expected to be completed in a couple of weeks, will help the authorities take up corrective measures.
In view of the demand for vaccines from villages, more centres are likely to be set up in rural areas, since the existing 67 centres are mostly in towns and semi-urban areas. The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been given to 2,53,861 persons and two doses to 1,02,432 in the district. Officials are planning to increase tests in rural areas. Currently, 4,000 tests are being conducted per day which will go up to 6,000 soon.
In the last two weeks, 12,588 persons tested positive out of 47,636.
Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal, who conducted a review meeting with senior officials, said that the recovery rate was good among the patients admitted to hospitals and COVID Care Centres at 87.3% and 95.9% respectively. The recovery rate is 83.8% among the patients in home isolation. “We are giving priority to distribution of home isolation kits for quick recovery of patients and 6,115 out of 6,662 have got them, which is the highest in the State at 91.79% coverage,” said Mr. Hari Jawaharlal.
