VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam city witnessed a spurt in coronavirus positive cases with four cases, including that of a nurse who was posted at the VIMS COVID-19 Hospital, in the past 24 hours. The total number of cases in the Port City now stands at 29.
There are nine active cases in Visakhapatnam with 20 positive tested persons discharged from hospitals after their recovery. The cases were reported from Gopalapatnam, Chandakaveedhi at Dandubazaar in Maharanipeta near Jagadamba junction and Chengalraopeta in the city. Among the fresh cases that emerged, a nurse from King George Hospital, who was on COVID-19 duties at VIMS hospital, contracted the virus. She stays in Gopalapatnam and all the contactees of the nurse in the apartment are being quarantined.
Meanwhile, two of the contactees of a 56-year-old woman of Dandu Bazaar area, who tested positive during her treatment at KGH, also contracted the virus. The woman's son and her grand daughter tested positive and were shifted to GITAM hospital for treatment. The son, who is a water purifier technician, is said to have visited some houses in HB Colony and Sujathanagar and officials are now tracing his contactees.
A 62-year-old person from Chengalraopet, who died while undergoing treatment for COVID-19, was the fourth person to have tested positive for the virus in the city. The eight-member committee, which was constituted to study into the deaths related to COVID-19 in the state will ascertain whether the person died due to COVID or kidney ailment.
Meanwhile, officials are yet to ascertain as to how a woman from Seetanna Gardens contracted the virus. The woman's 66-year-old husband, who was a kidney patient died in a hospital while undergoing treatment on April 20 and following a complaint by locals, five members of the family were sent to quarantine where they tested negative twice. However, on April 29 during screening by thermal scanners the woman was found having fever. When she was subjected to tests, she tested positive. After positive case, the GVMC officials declared the Kalinganagar and afjoining areas as red zone and barricaded the entire area.
"Surveillance teams began door-to-door survey to identify people having COVID-19 symptoms,'' Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) chief medical officer KVLG Sastry said.