KURNOOL: Kurnool recorded its 500th Covid-19 death on Sunday, ironically on the day its entire stock of vaccines dried up. Not even a single vial is available, said District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Rama Giddaiah.
Strangely, the day was observed as “Tika Utsav” as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There were just 6,190 doses, which were given on Sunday, before announcing the closure of the drive on the day, as no more vaccines were available, said an official. Even the Kurnool General Hospital, which had 760 doses of Covishield, was asked to dispense the same to urban primary health care centre, a doctor pointed out.
Kurnool district reported 191 Coronavirus positive cases during the past 24 hours, raising the number of active cases to 1,368. With this, the number of total positive cases in the district has risen to 63,063. With one death due to the virus on Sunday, the district has in all recorded 500 deaths due to novel Corona-19 virus in the past 12 months, said the DMHO.
District health authorities mobilised people to vaccine centres during the past four days to give them the vaccine. This led to the district having “nil stock” on Sunday. BJP leaders allege that this is a motivated ploy of the state government to throw the blame on Modi government for not stocking up the vaccine despite launch of the PM’s four-day “Tika Utsav”. Saffron party leaders say this is being used as a ploy by YSRC government to win the Tirupati Lok Sabha by-election.
Kurnool superintendent of police Kaginelli Fakkeerappa participated in a rally of school children at Kodumur on Sunday underlining the need to protect oneself by wearing a face mask.
