|
Of late, the recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in Vizag
has been continually exceeding the number of daily cases, marking a
promising trend in the district. On Wednesday, the recovery rate in the
district touched a remarkable 95 percent. There has also been a
considerable decline in fresh cases, which is being seen as a welcome
development in these unprecedented times. However, the possibility of a
second wave in Vizag is a looming threat. Vizag registered its
first COVID-19 case on 19 March when a 65-year-old man tested positive
for the virus. While it took over three months for the district’s tally
to reach 1000, the numbers surged at a worrying
pace in July and August. On 30 July, Vizag recorded its biggest
single-day spike with 1223 COVID-19 cases. By the end of August, the
number of cases shot up to 37,106 while the death toll touched 258. September
though gave an indication of a receding wave. Recording 13,000 cases
and 150 deaths the month marked a decline in the rate of growth of
coronavirus in Vizag. The numbers seem to be on a further decrease in
October with 3000 cases and 44 causalities being reported in the first
two weeks. While the statistics might suggest a trend towards the curve
flattening in Vizag, health officials in the district are in no mood to
relax. Throwing caution regarding the possibility of a second wave, the
district officials in Vizag have urged citizens not to let their guard
down any time soon. Speaking to Yo!, Visakhapatnam COVID Special
Officer and Principal of Andhra Medical College, Dr PV Sudhakar, said,
“From witnessing around 1000 cases per day in August, we have dropped
down to 150 to 200 cases, from the first week of September. According to
a conservative estimate, there is a significant drop of over 75%.”
However, it is too early to say that the curve is tapering down, he
quickly added. Stating that human behaviour is going to play a key role
in the next couple of months if determining the curve’s trend, Mr
Sudhakar noted that Kerala and Delhi have seen a resurgence of cases. Until
August, Kerala was taken as an example of what to do to effectively
manage the pandemic. However, in the last month, the tables seem to have
turned. Contradicting the nation-wide decline of active cases, Kerala
has been reporting a sharp spike in the daily number of COVID-19 cases
for the past few days. It has even surpassed Maharashtra as far as daily
cases are concerned. Given the Onam celebrations and the flouting of
the safety protocols, the state recorded over a 200 percent hike in
daily COVID-19 cases in a month. Mentioning the importance of
following certain guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus, Greater
Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Chief Medical Officer (Health), Dr
KSLG Sastry shared, “It is now the responsibility of people to follow
the basic key protocols, such as wearing a mask, observing physical
distancing, and maintaining personal hygiene.” On the occasion of global
handwashing day, the GVMC CMO said that handwashing is a simple and
viable approach that can keep not just the novel coronavirus but several
other viruses at bay. Despite observing a downward trend of new
cases, the threat to the infection continues to loom over the district.
To add to the worries, there have also been reports of individuals
contracting the virus for the second time. While the officials in Vizag
warn of a possible rise in the numbers and emergence of the second wave
given the upcoming festivals and more relaxations for economic
activities, it is the responsibility of every citizen to maintain a
tight defence and not let the guard down for the fight against the
common enemy is far from done.
|
