Amid COVID surge in China, health officials in Anantapur get down to testing again

Adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour, DMHO tells public as Centre issues advisory to States

After the Central government on Tuesday issued an advisory to States in view of the COVID surge in China and other countries, officials of the Anantapur District Medical and Health department on Wednesday began conducting Rapid Antigen Tests.

District Medical and Health Officer P. Yungandhar told  The Hindu on Wednesday that all the Dr. YSR Village Health Clinics were supplied with 10 kits each and that every primary health centre was asked to collect samples from symptomatic persons.

“By 5 p.m., 126 samples were collected at village health clinics and all of them turned out to be negative,” he said.

Pubic has been asked to adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour as China, US and Brazil, among others, have witnessed a surge in COVID infections.

The steps recommended by the Centre include increased genome sequencing and surveillance, and use of mask in crowded places. 

In Kurnool district, however, no tests were done. District Immunization Officer K. Visweswara Reddy said that they were waiting for instructions from the State Headquarters.

At present, no person has presented themselves at the Care and Cure Hospital with COVID symptoms in the last one week. So far, only those travelling abroad and requiring a RTPCR certificate has gotten the test done.