At a time when the number of active cases is gradually coming down in the State, the increasing number of positive cases among the migrant workers returning to the State has become a cause for concern.

Twenty-six migrants who had returned to the State around May 5 from Gujarat tested positive. Later on, the number went up to 105 with more migrants from Maharashtra (67), Odisha (10), Karnataka (1) and West Bengal (1) testing positive.

In addition to these cases, the impact of Tamil Nadu’s Koyambedu wholesale market, which is a hotspot, is being witnessed in at least four districts – Chittoor, Nellore, East Godavari and West Godavari – of the State. Two of these districts are already hotspots with at least 100 cases each.

So far, at least 56 persons who had been to the Koyambedu market and their contacts had contracted the virus, the bulletins by the Health Department said.

On the whole, during the past 10 days, the State witnessed 158 positive cases, which is 7.16% of the total cases, due to transmission outside the State, and detection of more cases is expected in the coming days.

To contain the possible spread of the virus by persons coming to the State, the Health Department has decided not to allow home quarantine. In the case of people coming from hotspot zones, tests are being conducted immediately upon arrival.

On Thursday, 318 persons returned to the State by a special train. They arrived in Vijayawada from where they were sent to their respective districts after basic screening for symptoms. Officials said that they would be put under institutional quarantine and sent home only after testing.

On the other hand, over 6,000 migrant workers were stopped from entering the State at the borders and sent to relief camps. In addition, over 8,000 migrant workers returned to the State by trains and buses.

Meanwhile, the State witnessed one more COVID-19 death and 68 new cases during the past 24 hours ending Thursday after testing 9,256 samples. Of the new cases, 36 were locals and 21 had links to the Koyambedu market.

The other 32 cases were migrant workers who returned from Maharashtra (29), Odisha (2) and West Bengal (1).

With this, the tally in the State went up to 2,205 and the toll reached 48 with the death of a patient in Kurnool district.

As many as 50 patients – Guntur (21), Kurnool (19), Anantapur (3), Chittoor (3), West Godavari (2), Krishna (1)and Nellore (1) – recovered, leaving 965 active cases. So far, 1,192 patients, including a nine-month-old baby, recovered.

Nellore district reported 15 new cases and 12 of them were linked to the Koyembedu market. Chittor reported nine new cases and eight of them were traced to the market. Guntur reported five new cases and Kadapa, Krishna and Srikakulam one case each. West Godavari reported one case, which was linked to the Koyambedu market.