Amaravati, May 23: As many as 18,767 new COVID-19 cases and 20,109 recoveries were reported in Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Sunday.
With these new cases, the cumulative count of infections has soared to 15,80,827. The state witnessed 104 COVID related deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the toll to 10,126.
A total of 91,629 samples have been tested in the last 24 hours. There are currently 2,09,237 active in the state.
Of the 104 deaths, 15 were reported in Chittoor, 13 in West Godavari district, 11 in Vizianagaram, nine in Visakhapatnam, eight each in Anantapur, East Godavari, Guntur, Krishna and Kurnool districts, seven in Srikakulam district, six in Nellore district, and three in Kadapa district.
With the state currently facing a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to suspend the supply of COVID-19 vaccines to private hospitals as they are allegedly charging exorbitant prices per vial.
In the letter, Reddy had said that the control over vaccines should be with the central and state governments and the availability of vaccines at both public and private hospitals would be a good idea only if there was a surplus availability of vaccines wherein anyone can choose any mode as per his or her choice and financial capability.
"In today's situation where supply is very limited, providing this option to private hospitals wherein they charge an exorbitant price is socially unacceptable and administratively difficult to monitor," he wrote.
(ANI/2 days ago) https://www.newkerala.com/andhra-pradesh-news.php