The incidence of coronavirus continued to rattle south coastal Andhra region with 15 more persons--11 in Prakasam and five in Nellore district, succumbing to the viral disease and 1,126 more persons getting infected in the last 24 hours.
The death toll due to pandemic rose to 111 in Prakasam district where 430 more tested positive for the disease, taking the count to 8,665, according to a health bulletin released by the State government on Sunday night.
In SPSR Nellore district, 696 more persons got infected taking the total number of positive cases to 13,739 while the death toll stood at 95. Meanwhile, Prakasam and Nellore saw 397 and 176 recoveries respectively.
Bed strength increased
In view of steady increase in positive cases, the bed strength in two private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Ongole was increased from 50 to 75 each. Only 797 symptomatic cases were admitted to the designated hospitals.
Of them, 481 were put in Intensive Care Units as their condition turned serious. While the other 963 patients were admitted to COVID-19 Care Centres and 1,394 asymptomatic cases persons were getting treatment at home.
Four 108 ambulance drivers, who were involved in moving patients from and to hospitals, tested positive for the disease.
Ongole accounted for 78 of the 430 fresh cases. New cases came from all over the district including Singarayakonda(17), Inkollu(12), Vetapalem(11), Thurumella(9), Martur (9), Daggubadu(8), Darsi(8), Karamchedu(5), Pamur(5), Ponnalur(5) and Talur(5).