The graph of daily COVID-19 cases has crossed the 1,000-mark in Chittoor district for the second consecutive day on Saturday. The active caseload in the district has jumped to 4,991, the highest in the State, with 1,039 new cases on Saturday.
Daily tests increased
The district medical and health authorities have enhanced the tests conducted daily from 5,000 last week to close to 10,000 at present, and the number might further go up as per the trends in infections.
No casualties
A big relief to the COVID task force officials is that despite the climbing graph of cases, Chittoor district has not recorded any casualties in recent days.
But the laidback attitude of the people on COVID etiquettes and the high public movement during the festival in the district, particularly in the border areas with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have left officials worrying about a further spike in cases. The Jallikattu version of Chittoor district, known as Pasuvula Panduga, was organised in a big way in Kuppam and Chandragiri mandals with a huge participation of people. The district also saw arrival of thousands of devotees from other States for the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival.
A senior medical officer seeking to be anonymous deplored that the COVID guidelines were ignored in the public transport system and pilgrimage centers. Though strict instruction was in place for the commercial establishments not to allow the customers without facemasks, it remained unheeded.
“The same situation prevailed in April last year, and the seriousness was felt only in May when casualties started mounting. A big feeler is making rounds in the public that the current wave is not fatal. It is playing a negative role in preventing the public from following COVID-appropriate behavior,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, the authorities of the Endowments department administering Sri Varasiddhi Vinayakaswamy Devasthanam at Kanipakam near Chittoor have announced the closure of the “Annadanam” (free meal scheme) indefinitely due to a spike in the coronavirus infections.