Andhra Covid deaths put states on alert; experts say no need for panic

After two Covid-19 deaths in Andhra Pradesh, neighbouring states have stepped up surveillance and testing, while health experts say current variants are mild and there is no need to panic

After two Covid-related deaths and eight active cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh, the state health department has gone on high alert, while neighbouring states, including Odisha, have stepped up surveillance and testing as a precautionary measure.

 

Tamil Nadu authorities also moved to reassure the public, saying there is no need for panic as the current variant is not considered virulent. A senior official in the Union health ministry told Business Standard that the situation is being monitored closely. “The ministry is keeping a close watch on the situation. Such sporadic cases occur every year,” the official said.

 

“We have strengthened our surveillance, testing, and reporting system. The government has already asked all government hospitals to keep isolation wards and intensive care units (ICUs) ready. Those who died had comorbid conditions,” Kadapa District Medical and Health Officer Ravi Babu told Business Standard. Babu said 40 people had been tested over the past few days and all the results were negative. Hospitals have been directed to keep isolation facilities ready, with adequate beds, ICUs, and medical support.

 

 

Authorities have urged people not to panic but to remain cautious, maintain hygiene, wear masks in crowded places, and seek medical attention if they develop Covid-like symptoms. With the annual Rath Yatra scheduled for July 16, health authorities in Odisha have also gone on high alert. Special attention is being given to districts bordering Andhra Pradesh, including Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Nabarangpur.

 

Reading the signals

 

The first case involved a 52-year-old man admitted to the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Tirupati. Though he was later shifted to Christian Medical College in Tamil Nadu, he died on June 28. A post-mortem reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test confirmed that he had Covid. According to Andhra Pradesh health authorities, the man also had a Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterial infection, along with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. This was followed by the death of another 46-year-old man admitted to the Government General Hospital in Kadapa on July 7. He had bilateral lung damage and pneumonia.

 

While authorities do not see any immediate cause for concern, the government is closely monitoring variants such as XFG and BA.3.2. According to the World Health Organization, around 45,000 Covid cases have been reported worldwide over the past three months. However, the test positivity rate remains low at 1.2 per cent. “There is no need for panic, as there is widespread protective immune memory in the population from vaccination as well as prior infections. All the variants that have circulated since early 2022 have been descendants of the milder Omicron variant,” said Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association’s National Covid Task Force.

 

“No aggressive or lethal variant has been identified in the past four years. Occasional cyclical increases are expected as the virus continues to evolve. The elderly and people with underlying health conditions are advised to take extra precautions to avoid infection,” he added.

 

According to media reports, Odisha has directed hospitals to test all patients admitted with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness for Covid and to test at least 5 per cent of Influenza-Like Illness cases.

 

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Tamil Nadu has advised elderly people, pregnant women, individuals with chronic medical conditions, and those with weakened immune systems to follow preventive measures and maintain good hygiene.

 

The state has also continued routine pre-operative Covid testing for patients with severe respiratory illness. Based on these tests, Covid infection was confirmed in 990 people in 2024, 1,250 in 2025, and 335 so far this year, taking the cumulative total to 2,575, the government said.