Delhi/Amaravati, July 12 (HS): The Andhra Pradesh Government has stepped up surveillance and preparedness measures after two COVID-19-related deaths and eight active cases were reported in YSR Kadapa district, prompting health authorities to issue a statewide alert.

According to health officials, a 52-year-old man from Rajampet in Kadapa district died while undergoing treatment at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, after testing positive for COVID-19. In another case, a 43-year-old man from Kadapa died while receiving treatment in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit of the Government General Hospital after testing positive for the infection.

A 25-year-old medical student of Kadapa Medical College has also tested positive and is currently under home isolation.

Following the fresh cases, the Health Department deployed Rapid Response Teams to the district and collected samples from around 40 persons in the affected areas. Officials said 18 samples have tested negative, while the remaining reports are awaited.

District health authorities informed that samples have also been sent to a laboratory in Pune for genome sequencing to identify the circulating variant and assess its transmission pattern.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Backward Classes Welfare S. Savitha, who is in charge of the district, directed officials to intensify surveillance and strictly enforce COVID-19 guidelines in affected areas. During a review with District Collector C.H. Sridhar and District Medical and Health Officer Dr Ravi Babu, she instructed officials to conduct awareness campaigns, ensure mask use in crowded places, including hospitals, and promptly identify and isolate persons exhibiting symptoms such as fever, cough and breathing difficulties.

The Minister also directed officials to test family members and close contacts of infected persons immediately. Those testing positive will be shifted to isolation facilities, while others will remain under home monitoring.

Sanitation and disinfection measures have also been intensified in the affected localities.

Following the developments in Kadapa, the State Health Department has asked all districts to strengthen surveillance, testing, reporting and infection-control measures. Hospitals have been instructed to keep isolation wards, beds and essential medical facilities ready.

Health authorities have appealed to the public not to panic, while advising people to maintain personal hygiene, wear masks in crowded places and seek medical attention if they develop COVID-like symptoms.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar