Though Andhra Pradesh is yet report any positive coronavirus case, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday decided to allocate Rs 200 crore to meet any exigency. He also decided to allocate Rs 60 crore for setting up special wards in Vijayawada and Anantapur for the purpose. At a meeting with top officials, the Chief Minister reviewed the measures being taken to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus. Officials said that people coming from other countries are being thoroughly screened at the airports. All those returning from abroad are being asked to be under observation for 14 days. The officials said that 20 out of the 24 suspected cases in the state have turned negative, while the details of the remaining four are awaited. The virus can be prevented by special care on hygiene and personal care. It has been found that only 5 per cent of the positive cases turn critical, more so when a person is already suffering from some ailment, officials said. At least 6,927 persons, who arrived from abroad, were screened at Visakhapatnam airport till March 5. This apart, 790 persons who landed in Visakhapatnam port, 469 in Krishnapatnam port and 60 persons at the Gannavaram airport have been screened. Doctors are being trained to handle the screening tests, officials said. They also said that 351 beds have been kept ready, while 47 ventilators, 12,444 personal protective equipment and 1.10 lakh masks have been acquired to meet any exigency. Similarly, orders have been placed to acquire 12,000 personal protective equipment and 50,000 masks. Isolation wards are being arranged away from all the major hospitals. Super-specialty hospitals in Vijayawada and Ananthapur have been asked to handle coronavirus cases. Ambulances have been kept ready to carry suspected coronavirus cases to the hospitals and the vehicles would be completely sterilised once a patient is dropped at the hospital. The Chief Minister cautioned the officials not to create panic among the people, but to inform them about the precautions needed to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus, and to set up a call centre to immediately take up preventive measures. He also directed the officials to involve village secretariats in creating awareness among the people about the virus. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and state Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said that raids were being conducted on medical stores for selling masks at a higher price. Cases have been registered against a couple of medical stores.
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