Vaccination centres see a rush as cases rise

1,652 test positive while 10 succumb to COVID in South Coastal Andhra

A health worker administering a COVID vaccine to a woman at the Municipal Corporation office in Ongole on Tuesday.

People rushed to session sites to take the jab as there was no let-up in the intensity of coronavirus in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, as 10 persons succumbed to the infection while 1,652((1,347 in Nellore) tested positive in a span of 24 hours.

Nellore district accounted for eight deaths taking the toll to 550.

With two more deaths, the toll rose to 596 in Prakasam district, according to a health bulletin released by the State government on Tuesday. The number of active cases rose rapidly to 7,732 in the region, including 3,522 in Prakasam district, the highest number in recent times.

With this, the tally increased to 1,36,008, with Nellore accounting for 69,483 and Prakasam for 66,525. Only 274 persons, including 226 in SPSR Nellore district, recovered from illness in the last 24 hours.

The 250-odd session sites set up across the region to administer the vaccine were a beehive of activity as more people realised the importance of taking the jab.

10,000 vaccinated in one day

Over 10,000 persons were vaccinated in the two districts till evening, health officials said. Only 805 of the total of the 4,210 active cases in Nellore district required treatment in hospital, Nellore Additional District Medical and Health Officer R.Swarnalatha.

‘Enough beds’

“We have enough beds with oxygen supply and medicine stocks to treat more patients should the need arise,” she said overseeing the vaccination drive going on in 135 session sites.

People should follow COVID safety protocols to avoid contracting the disease, which was spreading more because of people’s lackadaisical behaviour, Dr. Swarnalatha said.

In Prakasam district, 848 of the 3,522 positive patients were treated from hospitals. “The health condition of the others is being closely monitored after providing them medical kit,” said Prakasam DMHO P. Ratnavalli.

The health administration in the district is fully geared to meet any spurt in fresh cases, she said while overseeing the vaccination drive under way in 116 session sites in the district.