Density of population appears to be the single common factor in the areas reporting new COVID-19 positive cases in Kurnool, but the silver lining is no new cases are getting reported from the existing ‘red zones’. However, coronavirus has painted the urban pockets ‘red’ with 190 of 234 cases till Thursday coming from Kurnool and Nandyal municipalities.

The Delhi returnees were pegged at 361, the second highest for any district in the country and a local doctor unknowingly treating a large number of patients at his K.M. Hospital turned out to be the key source of infection.

Sample testing capacity was woefully low till TrueNAT machines began functioning along with Rapid Testing Kits for antibodies a week ago. A real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test machine was functional from Thursday. As the testing capacity increased positive cases too rose.

Varying results

About 3,534 samples were tested of which 235 were positive and the rest negative. The IGG and IGM Rapid Test kits giving different results for the same patient had been a worrying point, while some ‘negative’ test results in the Apollo Lab, Hyderabad, turned positive here forcing repeat tests for patients, says Collector G. Veerapandian.

Manning 37 red zones in the district in 20 geographical locations is turning out to be a Herculean Task.

Key challenges have been high density of per household number of residents in narrow lanes that do not allow even a four-wheeler, says Superintendent of Police Fakkeerappa Kaginelli.

Readying more COVID hospitals in the district at a short notice appears to be a major challenge now.