VIJAYAWADA: Four more Omicron cases emerged from the state on Wednesday, taking the total to 28. On the other hand, the state logged 434 fresh Covid-19 infections from 32,785 samples tested in the 24 hours ending Wednesday 9 am, which is the highest single-day spike in over two months.
Director of Public Health Dr. P Hymavathi said three foreign returnees and the contact of a traveller tested positive for Omicron. A 60-year-old man who returned to Prakasam district from the US on December 27, tested positive for the new variant. A 39-year-old man and his 7-year-old son who returned to Prakasam district from the United Kingdom, on December 18, also tested positive for Omicron. A 14-year-old girl from Guntur, a contact of a foreign returnee, also tested positive for the new variant.
Initially, it was reported that the father-son duo who returned from the UK, went untraceable. Denying the report, District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Ratnavali said the duo went to Vijayawada after testing negative for Covid on their arrival.
When they tested again in Vijayawada, their results came out positive for Covid. By that time, they had left for Hyderabad. “After the father-son duo tested positive for Covid, we contacted them and the duo have been in home isolation there. In genome sequencing results, the duo tested positive for Omicron,’’ the DM&HO said.
Dr Hymavathi said all contacts of Omicron cases were traced, tested, and positive samples were sent for genome sequencing.With the emergence of 434 fresh Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, the active caseload surged past 1,800 from Tuesday’s 1,516.
Chittoor reported the highest number of 68 cases, followed by Visakhapatnam (63) and Krishna (61). Only three districts reported less than 10 new infections. With the sharp spike in new infections in the past few days, Visakhapatnam has the highest active caseload of 363, followed by Chittoor with 315. Barring Anantapur, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam, the other 10 districts in the state reported more cases than Tuesday. Not a single Covid death was reported in the past 24 hours.
The state has reported more than 20.78 lakh Covid cases so far from over 3.14 crore samples tested. A total of 20.62 lakh patients have recovered, while 14,499 have succumbed to the virus. Meanwhile, five more students and a sweeper of the Zilla Parishad High School at Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district tested positive for Covid on Wednesday, taking the total number of infected to 26. However, all of them are asymptomatic and they have been under home isolation.
Joint Collector R Mahesh Kumar visited the ZP school and spoke to a few students who have been in isolation. He advised students to strictly follow Covid Appropriate Behaviour to protect themselves from the virus. He directed health and education officials to be more vigilant to check the spread of Covid.
ZP school Covid count rises to 26
Five more students and a sweeper of the ZP High School at Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district tested positive for Covid on Wednesday, taking the total number of infected to 26. All of them they have been under home isolation
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