All set for resumption of vaccine drive from today

Two more persons die of COVID in Nellore

South Coastal Andhra Pradesh witnessed a rapid rise in coronavirus cases as two more persons succumbed to the virus in SPSR Nellore district in 24 hours.

The vaccination drive, which suffered a setback following exhaustion of the stocks, will be implemented in full steam from Wednesday thanks to replenishment of vaccine stocks by the Centre, health officials said.

The number of active cases jumped by little over 550 to 3,470 in the districts of Prakasam and SPSR Nellore dampening the Ugadi festive spirit. On an average, the region has been registering 500 new cases each day during the first fortnight of April. Double the number of persons were hospitalised when compared to those discharged from hospitals.

COVID deaths, which had abated in the last two months, resurfaced again with a couple of deaths on each day in a span of fortnight. With the two deaths, the toll rose to 525 in SPSR Nellore district. The toll remained static at 589 in Prakasam district.

Vaccine arrives

People, who were worried over the non-availablity of vaccine, can heave a sigh of relief in the wake of the State Government receiving enough number of vaccine doses, officials said.

The vaccination drive is all set to resume in 90 session sites in the district, according to Nellore District Medical and Health Officer S.Rajyalakshmi. “We have received 44,500 doses of vaccine on Tuesday and they have been sent to the public health centres,” she said while overseeing the preparations for resumption of the drive with village and ward centric approach from Wednesday.

Overseeing the preparations from Ongole, Prakasam DMHO P. Ratnavalli said 25,000 doses of vaccine were received on Tuesday. “We have been promised another 25,000 doses of vaccine shortly,” she said.

The district administration would cover one village in the jurisdiction of one PHC on a saturation basis before moving to another village. Medical officers in each of the PHCs are being provided with 500 doses of vaccine each to vaccinate all eligible persons on a saturation basis in one village after another.

The overall cases count rose to 1,29,652. As many as 233 patients, including 175 in SPSR Nellore district, returned to their homes to celebrate Ugadi with their dear ones following recovery. The recovery rate, which had been over 99% till last month, dipped further to 96.46% in the wake of new cases.

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