Alarming surge in Covid cases despite partial lockdown

Tirupati: Even after 10 days of imposing partial lockdown, the Covid positive cases have not witnessed any downward trend in Chittoor district. There was no respite from increasing number of cases as a total of 23,163 infections were reported during the last 10 days as against 20,913 during the previous 10-day period prior to the imposition of partial lockdown.

The cases continue to surge in spite of lockdown restrictions as the district has reported a low of 1,543 cases on May 9 and a high of 2,886 on Saturday during this 10-day period. The cases fell below the 2,000 mark only on two days during the same period.

With the second wave tightening its grip, the partial lockdown curbs have proved to be inadequate.

There was a hectic movement of people and vehicles during 6 am to 12 noon and both people and shopkeepers were ignoring minimum Covid safety norms.

Everyone looks in a hurry to complete their tasks before 12 noon and this six-hour period was enough to spread the virus rampantly across various sections, said a doctor. No physical distancing could be seen at any commercial places leaving aside the hand sanitisation.

Police have been controlling the people's movement and commercial activities after 12 noon leaving everything to the fate of the people before that. Still, police have booked 9,118 cases so far and collected Rs 36.36 lakh as fines for violating the safety norms.

The ever-increasing Covid cases have been making a huge adverse impact on the healthcare system with all Covid hospitals and care centres running with full capacity. According to DM&HO Dr M Penchalaiah, the district is having more than 20,000 active cases now while around 2,000 oxygen beds are there.

He told The Hans India that the district has been getting more migrants from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as those states have imposed total lockdown.

Boozers are even coming to Tamil Nadu border areas as the liquor shops are closed in that state. This has been resulting in more infections along the border areas.

It could not be said when the cases will see a downward trend. As the second wave has been making more people suffer from breathlessness, the demand for oxygen beds is increasing and it has become an uphill task for officials to fill the gap.

The death toll has also been rising in the district with around 10 deaths are officially being reported though there are many more than this number.