Fourteen COVID-19 patients died and 998 new cases were reported in the State during the past 24 hours, as of Sunday. Both the deaths and the fresh cases are the highest single-day spikes reported so far even as the number of samples tested so far crossed the 10-lakh mark.

The tally has gone up to 18,697 and the death toll increased to 232, according to the bulletin by the Health Department. Most of the new deaths occurred in Kurnool and Anantapur. The former witnessed five deaths and the latter witnessed three deaths. Chittoor and Kadapa districts saw two deaths each while Krishna and Visakhapatnam witnessed one death each.

Meanwhile, having witnessed over 14,000 cases in the past month, the State now has over 10,000 active patients being treated at various COVID-19 hospitals, COVID-19 Care Centres and under home isolation. During the past 24 hours, 414 patients have recovered taking the total recoveries to 8,422 and the number active patients increased to 10,043. The recovery rate is at 45.04%.

Srikakulam tally doubled in a day

Guntur district reported 157 fresh local cases in the past day and East Godavari reported 118 fresh cases. Similarly, Kurnool witnessed 97 fresh cases while Srikakulam which is the district with the least number of cases witnessed 96 fresh cases doubling its tally in just a day.

They are followed by Visakhpatnam (88 fresh cases), Anantapur (87), Chittoor (74), Krishna (62), Kadapa (52), Nellore (45), West Godavari (40), Prakasam (27) and Vizianagaram (18).

Further, 36 cases are of people from other states and one is of a foreign returnee.

The district tallies of local cases are as follows: Kurnool (2451), Anantapur (2186), Guntur (1827), Krishna (1743), East Godavari (1607), Chittoor (1324), Kadapa (1245), West Godavari (1164), Nellore (730), Visakhapatnam (721), Prakasam (700), Vizianagaram (215), Srikakulam (189). While the local cases are at 16, 102, imported cases including 2,179 cases of people from other states and 416 cases of foreign returnees.

So far, the State has tested 10, 17, 123 samples and the tests per million population ratio went up to 19, 047. While the first one samples were tested in 59 days, the last three lakh tests were conducted at a rate of one lakh tests per four days. The positivity rate is at 1.84% and the mortality rate is at 1.24% which is one of the lowest mortality rates in the country.