Andhra Pradesh tops country with 830 tests per million people 

VIJAYAWADA: Samples of 41,512 people were tested for Covid-19 in the State so far. Now, with 830 tests per million people, Andhra Pradesh tops the chart in the country and Rajasthan stands second with 809 tests per million. Disclosing this during the Chief Minister’s review meeting on Wednesday, officials said with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) giving its nod to Truenat tests, the number of samples tested in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning stood at 5,757.

They explained that after finding that Chinese kits (RDT) were not up to the mark, South Korean RDT kits were tested and procured. “We had tested the samples of those who tested positive using Chinese kits and the results were negative, hence we did not opt for Chinese kits,” they explained.  With utmost difficulty and using chartered flight, 1 lakh RDT kits were brought from South Korea and 5-6 samples were tested and the results were encouraging, the officials said. 

The officials said they were studying different types of treatment for Covid-19 patients and that focus was on providing constant oxygen supply to the patients. “We are providing pulse oxy meters for treating Covid patients and more such meters are being brought into use. Oxygen levels are being monitored every six hours,” they explained. The Chief Minister directed them to equip oxygen supply in maximum number of beds. Explaining the procedures being followed in the hospitals treating Covid-19 cases in the State, the officials said they were preparing case-sheets for every patient.

A standard protocol has been formulated for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The protocol will be followed in four State and 18 district hospitals treating coronavirus cases. “Hospital staff are being provided with training. Truenat machines are being provided at every COVID-19 hospital so that people with symptoms can be tested at the earliest,” the officials said. Further, they briefed him on Tele-medicine service, under which 300 doctors are offering services. Chief Minister asked them to  provide medicines to the needy instead of just prescriptions.

Officials said as on date, 7,587 people are in quarantine centres across the State. The Chief Minister asked the officials to focus on Anantapur, Praksam, Nellore district, and increase ICU beds in the hospitals there. Wherever there are more cases, more hospitals should be identified for treating Covid-19 patients, he said.
The Chief Minister also took stock of prices of essential commodities and reviewed agriculture and aqua sectors. Officials were asked to lay focus on cold storages and procurement of agriculture produce at the farm itself.  Awareness about red, orange and green zones should created among people, the Chief Minister said and asked the officials to allow works in green clusters as per guidelines. Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana and Kanna Babu, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, DGP Gowtham Sawang and others were present.