Andhra Pradesh has reported its first case of COVID-19 as a youth tested positive for coronavirus in the state's Nellore district. The patient, who was admitted to the Nellore Government General Hospital, had recently returned from Italy. The state government has also identified five people who came in contact with him and has quarantined them in the hospital as per protocol.
A sample taken from him after he developed dry cough, which was sent to the Viral Research and Diagnostic Lab at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati showed that he tested positive for coronavirus.
"The patient is stable and all his vitals are normal. He has recovered from symptoms and is keeping in good health and will be discharged after completion of 14 days (in isolation," a press note from the state government on Thursday afternoon stated. A test would be conducted with a fresh sample after the 14-day period, before he is discharged.
The Andhra government has begun tracing the patient's travel history as a precautionary measure, and found that he had landed in Delhi from Italy, before flying to Chennai and then reaching his home in Nellore by road. Officials said that he reached Nellore on March 6.
Meanwhile, in a health bulletin on Thursday morning, the Andhra Pradesh state government said that it had identified 661 people with a travel history to the affected countries and put 532 of them under observation. While 232 had completed their observation period of 28 days, another 300 were still being observed.
Of them, eight people were admitted in hospitals, while 292 were quarantined at home. A total of 50 samples were sent to Pune for testing, of which 44 returned negative while the results of six more samples are awaited.
"A 24x7 Control Room has been set up in the State (0866-2410978). 104 Help line (Toll free number) has been operationalised for providing health advice on COVID-19. Government of Andhra Pradesh have notified District Collectors as District Nodal Officers for taking measures towards containment and surveillance of COVID-19 in their respective districts," the bulletin stated.
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