Vijayawada: Health principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal has denied reports of a surge in Coronavirus infections in rural Andhra Pradesh.
He told the media here on Thursday that all such reports were incorrect. Out of the 1,42,707 Covid cases registered from May 16 to 22, some 56,058 were from urban and 86,649 from rural areas. As per the 2011 Census, the 1.46 crore population lived in urban areas and 3.49 crore in rural areas.
The urban percentage of population was 29.46 while that of rural 70.54, he said and added that 383 persons were infected with the virus in urban and 248 in rural areas in the state.
The official said that based on directions from Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, an expert committee will be appointed with senior government officials to draft a report in a week's time on how to face the likely third wave of the pandemic. It would list the necessary arrangements that should be made in relation to ICU beds, medicines etc.
He warned of stern action against private hospitals charging high rates for treatment from Coronavirus- infected patients in the state and said that they had already imposed a penalty on erring hospitals. He said the ministers’ sub-committee would monitor the bills from private hospitals to ensure there is no fleecing of patients.
The official said AP registered 579 black fungus infection cases so far. The health department gave away 1,800 Amphotericin B injections for treatment of patients in various districts on Thursday. Directions have been issued for giving the second dose of Covaxin and the first dose of Covishield in the next four days.
He said the department was availing the services of 1,400 additional health staff for Covid care in addition to roping in 2,364 PG medical students, 3,086 house surgeons, 806 MBBS final year students, 2,386 nursing students and 315 dental students for the purpose.
