Alarm bells ringing: New Year revelers show COVID-like symptoms in AP
Two youth who returned to Visakhapatnam from Goa tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Both were fully vaccinated
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi Published on 3 Jan 2022 11:21 AM GMT
Alarm bells have started ringing in Andhra Pradesh as many people who returned from Goa after celebrating New Year are reporting COVID-like symptoms. Two youth who returned to Visakhapatnam from Goa tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Both were fully vaccinated. Many youth are experiencing COVID-like symptoms in other districts after they returned from tourist spots after celebrating New Year.
Health experts predict a surge in cases given the festive season. Though the numbers remain less than 200, there are districts that are suddenly seeing increasing cases. Official figures reveal that a total of 165 COVID-19 cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours. The highest number of cases (35) was reported from Visakhapatnam followed by 27 in Chittoor, 21 in Krishna, and 19 in East Godavari and Guntur districts.
On 1 January, the state had reported 176 cases with Visakhapatnam registering the highest (40) infections. On 31 December 2021, the total cases reported were 166 with Vizag registering the highest (31) followed by 28 cases in Chittoor.
According to the health officials, the winter vacation and New Year celebrations are the reasons for the surge. "We are now seeing more cases in East Godavari, Vizag, Guntur, and Krishna districts. Visakhapatnam district, which has an international airport, is seeing more cases. Odisha is reporting a surge which is a cause of worry for Vizag," said director of public health Dr. G. Hymavathi.
She said the state is taking all precautions. "Generally, all COVID-19 cases reported in the state are sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. The results come back in a week. In other states, the Omicron variant is detected at the community level but we haven't seen such a spread in the state," said Dr. Hymavathi.
Does Goa have an impact on AP?
According to the Goa government, the large number of tourists who visited Goa during Christmas and New Year may be behind the COVID-19 positivity rate crossing 10% on Sunday. Out of 3,604 tests, a total of 388 were positive. Thousands of domestic tourists were seen gathering at beaches and pubs in Goa. Videos of the crowd at Baga beach on 31 December have gone viral on social media. The state authorities are asking hotels, restaurants, and casinos to admit only guests with valid vaccination certificates or proof of a negative test result. However, many tourists who were fully vaccinated have tested positive.
After the two AP youth tested positive after returning from Goa, the state health officials predict that many may develop symptoms in the next few days as the majority of them travelled through flights and trains.
