With the spread of the coronavirus in the two districts of Nellore and Prakasam unabated, 16 people died of the disease and a little less than 2,300 people contracted the infection within 24 hours.
The number of active cases rose to a high of 36,468, including 18,540 in the Prakasam district. The toll in the area rose to 1,404 as 11 patients in the SPSR Nellore district and five in the Praksam district died from COVID. To date, 703 patients in SPSR Nellore district and 701 patients in Prakasam district had lost the battle against the disease.
According to a health report released by the state government on Saturday evening, the total number of coronaviruses exceeded 1.91 lakh when 1,305 people in Prakasam district and 985 people in SPSR Nellore district tested positive for the disease.
The number of new cases remained about 900 higher than recoveries as only 1,396 patients, including 894 in the SPSR Nellore district, recovered from the infection.
Committee formed
COVID-19 Nodal Officer at Government General Hospital (Nellore) M. Narendra claimed there was no oxygen starvation. A committee has been formed to constantly monitor the oxygen supply and avoid wastage, as approximately 1,000 patients are receiving oxygen therapy at any given time.
Of the 17,928 active cases in Nellore, over 2,300 patients were treated in GGH and other reported private hospitals, while 1,100 patients were cared for in COVID-19 care centers across the district. Others were in quarantine.
In Prakasam’s ongole, patients undergoing treatment at the GGH had a tough time when a technician shuttled between three COVID isolation wards to monitor oxygenation for more than 1,000 patients.
“More knot officers needed”
Right to Information Association State Working President G. Balakrishna called for the appointment of two additional Node Officers to continuously monitor the condition of patients at the GGH. He said the state government should increase supplies of remdesivir injections from the 250+ vials to at least 1,000 in order to stabilize the health of critical patients.