Four more persons — two each in SPSR Nellore and Prakasam districts — tested positive for novel coronavirus on Sunday.
Nellore district has reported the highest number of cases in the State at 34. Among the positive cases are a doctor who has treated COVID-19 patients. Eight persons tested negative while results of over 60 persons were awaited, health officials said.
Two thousand beds were arranged at the Government General Hospital and Narayana Medical College to provide high-end medical treatment to patients. Nellore Urban Development Authority vice-chairman Bapi Reddy, who has been asked by the State Government to coordinate relief operations in Nellore, asked people to remain indoors as the next two weeks are crucial to contain the spread of the disease.
In Prakasam, two more persons from Karamchedu tested positive, taking the total number of infected persons to 23 in the district, Government General Hospital Superintendent D. Sriramulu said. A majority of the infected persons had returned from Delhi after attending a religious congregation.
Two persons, one each from Nellore and Ongole, have so far recovered.
Prakasam Collector P. Bhaskar rushed to Kunkulamarru village to oversee the implementation of the containment action plan in the rice-rich Karamchedu zone as four persons from a single family tested positive for the disease.
All roads to Islampet, where seven persons contracted the disease, were sealed to prevent movement of people to and from the area. Police erected barricades to restrict the movement of people in other areas also to implement the lockdown more strictly.
Meanwhile, a COVID-19 patient, who is also suffering from diabetes, was shifted from Ongole to Nellore for better treatment. Two others, a man and his wife, were shifted to KIMS Hospital from the Ongole GGH.
Meanwhile, people responded in large numbers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to switch off electric lights and light traditional lamps at the stroke of 9.00 p.m as a symbolic move to defeat the spread of coronavirus.