Narsaraopet, a bustling town 45 km away from here, is the latest hotspot of COVID-19. A staggering number of cases, 104, from this town, has shocked the local administration, which seemed to be just relaxing after aggressively implementing cluster containment plans in Guntur city. From deploying TrueNAT testing kits to imposing severe restrictions on movement and opening of new quarantine centres, the officials are making every effort to contain the infection.
The COVID-19 virus is spreading to towns like Piduguralla and Dachepdalli, though the areas in Macherla have witnessed a drop in number of cases.
The town has recorded the most number of cases in the State, surpassing Guntur and Vijayawada. With 27 cases reported on Wednesday, the total number of positive cases in the district rose to 283.
It all started when a cable TV collection agent died after a week into the lockdown. Doctors said that he died of TB, but tests revealed that he had the virus. Later, his wife tested positive and a close contact of the woman also tested positive.
Rapid spread
The area in Orava Katta soon became a hub of COVID-19, with as many as 70 cases testing positive from the region. Soon, a private doctor got infected after treating a home guard and from there infection spread rapidly infecting doctors, nurses and many medical staff, who had treated many patients without knowing about their medical history.
Collector I. Samuel Ananda Kumar, SP Ch. Vijaya Rao and special officer B. Rajasekhar has been visiting the town ever since and giving instructions to the personnel.