Andhra Pradesh reports more than 900 cases for second consecutive day

: For the second consecutive day,

Andhra Pradesh reported more than 900 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the cumulative to 8,97,810.

A health department bulletin said the state reported 947 fresh cases and 377 recoveries, but no deaths in 24 hours ending 9 am on Saturday.

The state COVID-19 chart showed 8,85,892 total recoveries and 7,203 deaths, leaving 4,715 active cases.

The overall infection positivity rate has now came down to six per cent after 1,49,58,897 tests were conducted at the rate of 2.80 lakh per million population, the bulletin said.

The contagion left tens of students in the Andhra University in Visakhapatnam sick, forcing the authorities to announce closure of the hostels.

The infected students have been isolated and lodged in special rooms in the university, where the health authorities were treating them.

Visakhapatnam District Collector V Vinay Chand and other officials visited the university on Saturday and took stock of the situation.

The Collector said 83 students tested positive for COVID-19 in AU, but all had only mild symptoms.

"We have informed the parents about the infection, but there is no need for any alarm.

We have provided quarantine facilities in both boys and girls hostels in the AU Engineering College.

Sanitisation is being vigorously carried out," the Collector said.

The university chief warden issued a notice that all hostels on the campus would be closed from Sunday.

The scheduled examinations for BE, B.Tech and B.Pharmacy students have been postponed due to the outbreak of the pandemic in the university.

Meanwhile, in Kadapa, 18 staff members of the District Water Management Authority tested positive for coronavirus.

The DWMA office has now been shut down after sanitization.

The infected staff have been kept in home quarantine, according to health department officials.

In 24 hours, Chittoor district reported the highest 180 fresh cases, followed by Visakhapatnam 156, Guntur 145 and Krishna 113.

Kurnool reported 61, East Godavari 58, Srikakulam 56, SPS Nellore 43, Kadapa 40, Anantapuramu 35 new cases.

Prakasam added 23, Vizianagaram 19 and West Godavari 18 new cases in a day, the bulletin said.