Several new areas have been identified as COVID-19 clusters by the district administration which has pressed into service additional staff and machinery.
In an indication that the COVID-19 virus spread is quite rapid in rural areas too, the district administration has now declared areas in Mangalagiri, Tippers Bazaar red zone after two persons have tested positive, though their travel history and identity has been kept confidential.
Sangadigunta, Anandapet, Israel Pet, Mangaldas Nagar, Nehru Nagar, RTC Colony (Guntur East constituency), continue be in restricted area zone. Dokiparru and Turakapalem in Medikonduru, Atchampet in Sattenapalli constituency have also been declared red zones.
Two new positive cases reported from Mangalagiri, taking the total to 32 at 9 pm. The number of samples being tested has gone up, after a testing facility was opened at Guntur Medical College. Fifty four samples were tested on Monday. While 525 persons have been tested so far, 424 samples turned out to be negative while 32 persons tested positive. The number of persons in isolation wards is 486 and they were being treated at 68 centres with a capacity of 1,065 beds.
The buildings of Chaitanya and Bhashyam Residential Colleges on Inner Ring Road have been taken over by the district administration and are being sanitised.
Supply of essentials
District Collector I. Samuel Ananda Kumar, DIG of Guntur Urban Police District PHD Ramakrishna went around the cluster containment zones and gave directions to the personnel working there. Mr. Samuel said that no person from the cluster containment zone should venture outside his house and the administration is making arrangements for supply of essential commodities at the doorstep.
Joint Collector AS Dinesh Kumar said five autos would make rounds to colonies and supply essential commodities such as vegetables daily. Municipal Commissioner C. Anuradha said fogging and spraying of sodium hypochlorite solution would continue in the affected areas.
