Andhra to distribute three masks to each individual in the state, conduct 45,000 tests

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government will distribute 16 crore masks to the people of the state and expedite the third survey in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a review meeting held here on Sunday, Chief Minister Y.S Jaganmohan Reddy instructed officials to distribute three masks each to the 5.3 crore people in the state. To assess the level of infection in the state, the state health department is going to conduct 45,000 tests across the state, prioritising COVID-19 zones, it was decided.

The officials told Jagan that 1.43 crore people had been surveyed in the third round and 32,349 people were referred for medical examination, out of which doctors conducted tests on 9,107 people. However, the Chief Minister did not want to take any risk during this crisis and asked officials to test all 32,349 people. The Chief Minister further ordered the officials to provide quality treatment and train medical and paramedical personnel in the treatment of COVID-19.

Jagan said special focus should be on zones where COVID-19 is prevalent. He sought details on the clusters, red zone, and hotspot areas in the state, and instructed the officials to prioritise high-risk patients such as senior citizens and patients suffering from BP and diabetes. He also ordered officials to immediately provide medical facilities to high-risk patients who show symptoms of Corona virus.

While instructing the officials to ensure implementation of social distancing in the state, the Chief Minister said that markings to ensure social distancing are mandatory in supermarkets, shops, and Rythu bazaars. The cluster and zones should be updated regularly based on the level of virus infection so that its spread can be restricted, he said.

As of 9 a.m on Sunday, Andhra has 417 positive cases, out of which 13 are foreign returnees, 12 are people who came in contact with the foreign returnees, 199 are people who attended Tablighi Markhaj, 161 are those who came in contact with the Markhaj returnees, and 32 are people who returned from other states.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has declared 133 places across 13 districts as COVID-19 red zones.