Covid-19 Alert: Seven new cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) were reported in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. With this, the total number of infected individuals in the state has risen to 26. According to the Health Department, among the new cases, four were reported from Guntur district, two from East Godavari, and one from Bapatla. The department clarified that these cases are from different areas and there is no major spread of infection—or cluster outbreak—anywhere in the state.
Breakdown of infected cases by location:
Kadapa: 8
Guntur: 6
East Godavari: 3
Kakinada: 2
Bapatla: 2
Visakhapatnam: 1
Eluru: 1
Nellore: 1
NTR: 1
Parvathipuram Manyam: 1
Patient treatment and recovery
The department stated that a total of 145 samples have been tested in the state so far.
Out of the 26 total patients, 10 are undergoing treatment in hospitals, while 9 are in home isolation.
Three patients have fully recovered and been discharged.
Four patients have died. According to the Health Department, all four deceased individuals had other serious underlying health conditions prior to contracting the coronavirus.
What is Covid-19, and when did it begin?
COVID-19 has been one of the most devastating pandemics, profoundly affecting healthcare systems, economies, and daily life across the globe. It is a highly contagious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which primarily attacks the human lungs and respiratory tract. The first global case was reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, after which it rapidly spread across the world. Given the severity of the threat, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The first case in India was recorded in January 2020 in the Thrissur district of Kerala, when a student returning from Wuhan University tested positive for the coronavirus. Subsequently, the Government of India imposed a nationwide lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of the infection.
The virus primarily spread through tiny droplets released into the air when an infected person sneezed, coughed, or spoke. Additionally, people could contract the virus by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. Key symptoms of the disease included fever, dry cough, extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, and a loss of taste or smell. As it was a novel virus, there was no specific, direct treatment available initially.
In the early stages, patients were treated based on their symptoms with medications such as paracetamol, vitamins, antivirals, and steroids to reduce lung inflammation. Oxygen support and ventilators proved to be life-saving for critically ill patients. Globally developed vaccines played a major role in finally bringing the pandemic under control, with India-made ‘Covishield’ and ‘Covaxin’ being prominent among them. Due to widespread vaccination and the immunity developed among the population, the WHO removed COVID-19 from the category of global health emergencies in May 2023; it is now akin to a common seasonal infection.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most people infected with COVID-19 recover after experiencing mild to moderate symptoms. However, the risk is higher for the elderly and individuals suffering from serious underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.
