South-coastal A.P. adds 1 death, 100 cases to coronavirus count

Pandemic spreading to far-flung villages in Prakasam district, say officials

COVID-19 cases continued to be on a relenless rise in south-coastal Andhra Pradesh as 129 persons — 100 in Nellore district and 29 in Prakasam — tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.

The total number of positive cases rose to 1,170 in Nellore district. As many as 558 of the infected persons were in the age group of 21 to 40.

In Ongole, a 35-year-old man succumbed to the virus while 29 others tested positive. The death toll in the district now stands at three. The total number of confirmed cases in the district shot up to 1,033 with Ongole accounting for a maximum of 228 positve cases closely followed by Chirala with 120 confirmed cases and Markapur with 113 positive cases. As many as 1,474 persons tested negative for the disease, according to a health bulletin released by the district administration. The results of 2,407 patients are still awaited.

District Medical and Health Officer J. Padmavathi took stock of the situation in a remote Pamur village, where the number of positive cases touched the 110-mark.

Health officials were on their toes identifying primary and secondary contacts of the infected persons, and subjected them to testing as part of a cluster containment action plan.

Strict lockdown

In Ongole, a strict lockdown was implemented in Samatha Nagar, Vijayanagar Colony, Ranguthota and Nirmal Nagar, which reported fresh cases.

The disease began spreading to far-flung villages, including many of them in non-containment zones, making it difficult for the health authorities to implement the cluster containment strategy. Nine persons, including a 10-year-old boy, were infected in East Gangavaram village near Tallur. Chandavaram village reported two fresh cases while Kanamalla, Thimmanapalem, Gangapalem, Bellakondavaripalem, Nagambotlapalem, Bestavarpeta and Korisapadu registered one case each.