Andhra Pradesh reports 253 fresh Covid-19 cases, 137 recoveries

: Andhra Pradesh reported 253

fresh COVID-19 cases, 137 recoveries and one death in 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday.

After 1.46 crore sample tests, the gross coronavirus positives went up to 8,92,522, with an overall infection positivity rate of 6.11 per cent.

The recoveries rose to 8,83,642 and toll to 7,186, a health department bulletin said.

The state now has 1,694 active COVID-19 cases, it said.

The contagion seems to be spreading at a virulent pace, particularly in districts like Guntur, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam, Krishna and East Godavari.

Guntur reported 69 fresh cases in a day, followed by Chittoor 39, East Godavari 29, Visakhapatnam 27, Kurnool 26, Anantapuramu 15, Krishna 11 and Srikakulam 10.

The remaining five districts added less than seven cases each.

Guntur also reported one fresh COVID-19 fatality, according to the bulletin.

The union government has listed Krishna, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Chittoor and Guntur as "districts of concern" going by the percentage of rise in cases from March 1 to 15.

According to the government data, Krishna saw a 171.4 per cent, East Godavari 150 per cent, Visakhapatnam 100 per cent, Chittoor 92 per cent and Guntur 70 per cent change in cases.

The seven-day moving average rose from 88 (cases per day) on March 1 to 167 on the 15th, though the infection positivity rate increased only marginally from 0.5 to 0.6 per cent.