VIJAYAWADA: After 14 more Covid-19 cases were reported in Krishna district on Friday, collector A Md Imtiaz added Krishna Lanka and Karmika Nagar to the existing six red zones. With this, the number of infections rose to 102 in the district, 80 of which were reported from Vijayawada alone.
According to officials, six of the 14 patients hail from from Durala Raghavayya Street in Krishna Lanka, one from Wynchpet of One-Town and the remaining from Chilakalapudi, Machlipatnam. Officials, who are finding it tough to break the chain of virus spread, said instructions were given to all ground-level staff to sound high alert in the newly-declared red zones.
Alone in Krishna Lanka, more than 10 positive cases have been reported so far and three from Karmika Nagar, Machavaram. Contact tracing and disinfecting the streets are also continuing in full swing. Both the areas have similar population and area. As the officials are suspecting that the virus could have spread through community transmission, samples of all contacts of positive patients are being collected. Of the 6,000 samples tested in the district till now, 102 persons tested positive. While 25 of them have recovered, seven died.
Meanwhile, Machilipatnam town was put on high alert as the Covid cases continued to rise. Of the 10 persons who tested positive so far, two have died of the virus. “We are taking special care in all the red zones and hot spots, and monitoring the activities of people through drones. If anyone is caught violating the restrictions, criminal cases will be filed against them,” said Krishna SP M Ravindranath Babu.
Even district collector A Md Imtiaz has issued orders pertaining to the curfew and said the restrictions will continue till normalcy is restored. He also requested people in red zones not to go out of their homes even to buy essential commodities as they will be supplied to them at their doorstep. The collector also urged them to cooperate with the local authorities and seek permission before venturing out.