Vijayawada: The AP government has activated its health and other machinery to tackle the spread of the new Covid-19 variant JN.1. Some 56,741 oxygen beds were kept ready at various hospitals and testing of samples of the people who tested positive in the Genome Sequencing Lab has been started.
Health director K Padmavathi said 29 active cases were confirmed in the state by Sunday. According to the health bulletin released by the health department on Monday, six cases were detected out of 108 samples tested, but no death related to the new variant occurred in the state so far.
Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review meeting on the Covid status and asked officials to keep the village clinics, village and ward secretariats on high alert and take preventive measures despite doctors’ advice that there was no need to panic.
He said senior officials should create awareness among the staff of village clinics and secretariats on identifying the features of the new variant and on preventive measures. He also directed them to introduce teaching through AI (Artificial Intelligence) in all medical colleges.
State health department special chief secretary Krishna Babu said the Centre has alerted all the states as the cases linked to the new variant were increasing in Kerala. “More Ayyappa devotees would be going to Kerala from AP during this season and orders have been given to hold Covid tests for those returning from Sabarimala. Arrangements have been made for RT PCR tests in 12 medical colleges.
Krishna Babu said a set of ten rapid test kits has been sent to each village secretariat across the state. Those who suffer from fever were told to undergo tests. Arrangements have been made to send the samples of those who have tested positive to RT PCR labs.
He said tests will be done at the Genome Sequencing Lab in Vijayawada to identify the Covid variant among those who have tested positive. Some 56,741 oxygen beds and more than 6,000 ICU beds are available in Andhra Pradesh and there is no shortage of ventilators and Covid medicines, he stressed.
