COVID-19: Tally touches 2,841 as single-day count hovers at 54

Despite intensive containment measures, fresh COVID-19 cases continue to surface in Andhra Pradesh with unfailing regularity. On Thursday the state reported 54 positive cases, which includes four persons that had travel histories to the Koyambedu market in Chennai.

With the addition of 54 new cases over the past 24 hours, the state's tally jumped to 2,841, the state nodal officer reported at 10 a.m., on Thursday. While there has been a decrease in the proportion of cases with a Koyambedu connection, the number of cases related to returnees from other states are continuing to some extent.

On Thursday, only 4 of the 54 positive cases were found to have a Koyambedu connection. While Nellore district reported two cases, 1 case was reported from Chittoor and Guntur districts respectively. The Koyambedu market which has since been closed, was identified as one of the biggest spreaders of COVID-19 cases in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where positive cases tally has long crossed the 18,000-mark.

Andhra Pradesh reported on Thursday that there are 111 cumulative cases among the returnees from foreign countries. This figure has remained unchanged since Wednesday. With flights touching down in Andhra Pradesh over the past few days, a few hundred foreign returnees have arrived in the state. Some of the foreign returnees have tested positive for COVID-19.

With 45 persons discharged, the cumulative tally of cured persons in Andhra Pradesh was 1,958 on Thursday. The number of active cases is currently 824.

The state nodal officer reported that 9,858 samples were tested during the past 24 hours as against 9,664 samples that were tested during the preceding testing cycle.

The state's average in terms of tests conducted per million population stands at 6,409, below Delhi's 9,454, and Jammu and Kashmir's 10,753. However, in terms of tests conducted, Andhra Pradesh with 34,22,236 tests conducted till date, lags behind Rajasthan with 3,46,427 tests, Maharashtra with 4,05,020 tests, and Tamil Nadu's 4,42,320. Till date, 33,62,136 tests have been conducted across India as a whole.

With one death reported from Kurnool district, the death toll in the state touched 59 on Thursday morning. In terms of mortality rate, Andhra Pradesh's 1.82 per cent ranks 12th among the states of India.

Meanwhile the cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases among returnees from other states climbed to 293 from 219. The tally of active cases fell to 126, as 23 were discharged.