Andhra Pradesh: No positive case of coronavirus registered so far, officials confirm

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Andhra Pradesh government has released a statement declaring that so far no positive case of the deadly virus has been reported in the State. This comes after the first confirmed case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Telangana was reported on March 2 from Hyderabad where a man, who recently returned from Dubai, tested positive for the virus.

However, Andhra Pradesh Medical and Health Department Special Chief Secretary Jawahar Reddy has said that there is no confirmed coronavirus case in the State, thus dispelling the rumours. A press release shared by the department states that special measures are being taken to control the situation and a 24x7 control room has also been set up.

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"Passengers coming to the State from foreign countries are continuously being monitored. The State is alert as per the orders of the Central government. Full screening is being done in airports and seaports," Reddy informed.

READ: First confirmed Covid-19 case detected in Hyderabad; condition of man stable: Telangana minister

Coronavirus outbreak

On March 1, UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock released $15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help fund global efforts to contain the virus. The announcement came soon after the WHO upgraded the global risk of the coronavirus outbreak to "very high" – its top level of risk assessment. The WHO has said there is still a chance of containing the virus if its chain of transmission is broken. 

The WHO has called for $675 million to fund the fight against coronavirus. There is a window of opportunity to contain the spread of the virus if countries take robust measures to detect cases early, isolate and care for patients, and trace contacts.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said: “The potential spread of the virus to countries with weaker health systems is one of our biggest concerns. These funds will help support these countries get ready for detecting and isolating cases, protecting their health workers, and treating patients with dignity and appropriate care. This will help us save lives and push back the virus”.

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