VIJAYAWADA: Indicating a changing trend in Andhra Pradesh, the number of red zone districts in the state has come down from 11 to five.
As per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s latest list of districts with a high incidence of Covid-19 cases, Kurnool, Guntur, Krishna, Chittoor, and Nellore are red zones, while Vizinagram, which hasn’t recorded any coronavirus cases, is the only green zone in the state.
The other districts are orange zones.
Previously, districts were classified as red, orange and green zones based on the number of cases and the doubling rate.
But now, as recovery rates have gone up, more comprehensive data is used.
“The classification is multi-factorial and takes into consideration the incidence of cases, doubling rate, extent of testing and surveillance feedback,” said Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Secretary Preeti Sudan.
Green zones are districts that have never recorded a Covid-19 case or have not reported any in the last 21 days.
States may designate additional red or orange zones, but cannot relax the zonal classification of red or orange zones, the Union ministry said. Containment zones in these districts must be delineated based on mapping of cases and contacts, geographical dispersion of cases and contacts, an area with a well-demarcated perimeter, and enforceability, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, as per the State government’s classification, there are 235 clusters in Andhra Pradesh, of which 79 are very active, 68 are active, and 53 are dormant. As many as 35 clusters have not reported any Covid-19 cases in the last 28 days.