VIJAYAWADA: Indicating community transmission of COVID-19 in the city, Krishna District Collector A Md Imtiaz on Saturday revealed they were clueless about how around 30 persons without any travel history contracted the virus. Of the total 59 cases recorded in the limits of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) and its adjoining mandals, officials could not ascertain how the affectee contracted coronavirus in 30-odd cases.
Imtiaz and City Police Commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao came out with startling facts and said more stringent measures will be in force from Sunday to ensure complete lockdown. The movement of people and vehicles in lanes and bylanes will be curbed by deploying drones and additional police personnel and people’s adherence to lockdown will be closely monitored. The announcement came on a day when 17 more coronavirus cases were recorded in the district, with 16 in Vijayawada city alone, taking the total to 70.
“An analysis of the cases shows that initially, foreign returnees and then Delhi returnees and their contacts tested positive for the virus. The number of such cases is 35. In the last few days, 30-odd cases were recorded. But, we could not yet ascertain how the affectees contracted the virus,’’ the Collector said, adding that this trend is a cause for concern.
Imtiaz said 90 per cent of the area under the VMC limits is now under containment clusters. Besides following social distancing strictly, people should not even visit their neighbours to check the spread of virus, he advised. Tirumala Rao revealed that a person with history of foreign travel contracted coronavirus after 28 days of quarantine period, in perhaps the first such case in the State. Sending a clear message to the people to be cautious and not venture out till May 3, he said, “There are some cases where we cannot ascertain how the affectee contracted the virus. In some cases, the affected claim that they have only visited either rythu bazar or kirana shop to purchase essentials. In another case, a supplier of saline bottles to hospitals and medical shops has tested positive. We are yet to track how he contracted the virus.”
Be cautious, don’t panic, says top cop
The Police Commissioner said people need not panic, but should be more cautious about the spread of virus. “When one cannot establish how a person contracted the virus, people should be extra cautious and take precautions. Do not venture out during the lockdown as the situation is that one cannot come to a conclusion that he is safe,’’ he cautioned. In another case, Tirumala Rao said, mother and six neighbours of a foreign returnee who tested positive after 28 days of quarantine, contracted coronavirus. In his locality, 10 people have contracted Covid-19. This clearly shows that the virus affected the person after 28 days and through him to others,” Tirumala Rao said, adding that people should not come out of their houses in red zones as it may lead to spread of the virus.
Cautioning the people, particularly youth, not to come on to the streets during lockdown, the Police Commissioner said they will seize vehicles and register cases against the violators. “We will register criminal cases against violators of lockdown, which means that your name will enter police records. Tomorrow, you will find it difficult to get a job if a police case is registered against you. We are not intimidating you, but this is a fact. We are going as per legal provisions to enforce lockdown 2.0 strictly,’’ he said and asked the parents to control their wards. He appealed to the people with symptoms to report voluntarily to 104 or Dial 100.