Anantapur: Following detection of a new C-variant, Omicron, in Bengaluru, the AP government sounded an alert along the Karnataka border of the state, to prevent spread of the virus.
As a doctor from Bengaluru with no travel history was among the two detected with the infection in the Karnataka capital, alongside a South African national, AP officials have been advised to take all preventive steps along the border regions. Notably, the first wave of Covid19 positive spread to this side from Gowribidanur of Chikkaballapur district closer to Hindupur area in Anantapur district. Anantapur district suffered major effects of the virus-spread from Karna-taka towards border areas of Hindupur and later to other parts of Anantapur.
When a large number of relatives from border town Hindupur in AP attended the cremation of a Covid19 patient, that proved costly to AP. In addition, the pandemic spread to AP from Hyderabad. Other coastal parts of AP were hit massively and this claimed many lives. In addition, the second wave of Covid19 hit many AP districts in the past several months.
Though the fear of a third wave was mostly ignored of late, Omicron has again put the administration on alert.
At least a 500 buses of APSRTC, TSRTC, KSRTC and also private travels ply in between Karnataka capital, TS capital Hyderabad and AP’s Vijayawada as also other parts of these states every day. Bengaluru International airport is located 80km away from the Kodikonda check post of Anantapur district.
A majority of the people from Hindupur Lok Sabha segment have close contact with Bengaluru for business and family matters. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai reviewed the situation and directed the officials to remain alert over the new variant.
The district administration of Anantapur alerted the border areas for urgent start of preventive steps. Kodikonda check post on NH 44 in Chilamathur mandal in the district and Ukkadam check post in Madakasira mandal along with more than 20 entry points from Bengaluru towards AP are on alert.
Health and medical authorities said screening will be held at border check posts while there is no possibility for random checking so far.
“We need to plan a thorough check at border posts for all passengers who enter Anantapur district,” an official said.
Meanwhile, most visitors including politicians and officials prefer to travel via the international airport of Devanahalli towards Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool. Anantapur SP Fakeerappa held a conference with all police stations and staff to sound a high alert.
