VIJAYAWADA: Hinting at community transmission of COVID-19 in Vijayawada, the city's top cop Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao on Saturday said there are cases where they could not ascertain how the patients contracted the virus. In another case, a person with a history of foreign travel contracted the virus after 28 days of quarantine, he said.

Sending a clear and loud message to the people to be cautious about the spread of virus and not venture out till May 3, Rao said initially cases were recorded among those who returned from abroad or the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi. "Till then, we had an idea about how the virus was being transmitted," he said, adding that now it was not so clear.

"In some cases, people claim that they only visited rythu bazaars (to purchase vegetables) or kirana shops. In another case we analysed, a man visited hospitals and medical shops to supply saline bottles. We are yet to track how he got the virus," Rao said.

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Announcing these details on a day when 17 more cases were recorded in the district taking the total number of cases to 70, of which 59 are in Vijayawada city alone, Rao said people need not panic but should be careful. "When one cannot establish how a person contracted the virus, people should be extra-cautious and take all precautions. Do not move out as you cannot come to the conclusion that you are safe," he said.

Explaining another case, Rao said a man who returned from abroad contracted the virus after 28 days of quarantine. His mother and 10 people in the area where he was staying subsequently got the virus too. "This shows that the virus affected him after 28 days," he said, adding that people should not come out of their homes in red zone areas as this might lead to the virus spreading.

Cautioning the public, particularly youth, not to venture onto the streets, the city top cop said they will seize vehicles and start registering cases against violators. "We will register criminal cases which means that your name will enter police and court records. Later, you will face difficulty in securing jobs,'' he warned.

"We are not intimidating you but this is a fact. We are going as per legal provisions," he said and asked parents to control their wards.

Rao also appealed to people with symptoms of the virus to report voluntarily to 104 or dial 100 so that they can be sent to quarantine centres. He further said that the lockdown will be enforced till May 3. "The relaxations after April 20 would be given only to some specific sectors and not the general public," he said.