As the state entered into second phase of complete lockdown, the total number of confirmed corona positive cases in Andhra Pradesh crossed the 500 mark on Wednesday even as the state administration intensified its containment strategy. What is more worrying is that seven medical staff in Anantapur were tested positive for corona virus. Earlier, two doctors and two nurses were tested positive for Covid-19 while treating corona patients in a private hospital following which the medical staff refused to work despite the state government imposing ESMA against medical fraternity.

Meanwhile, Guntur continued to be the most-affected district with 118 cases. To combat the spread, the district administration declared several hotspots in the district. Kurnool is the second most affected district in the state with 97 cases, followed by Nellore with 56 cases, Krishna (45), Prakasam (42), Kadapa (33). The spike in corona positive figures were linked to the people who tested positive after attending the Tablighi Jamaat event in Markaz Masjid in South Delhi’s Nizamuddin.

For the second week, Rayalaseema continued to report the maximum Covid-19 cases. Of the 500 cases in AP, more than 200 cases were reported from the Rayalaseema region. The state administration identified more than 133 high-incidence clusters as ”red zones’.

The only silver lining seems to be Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. They continue to remain corona-free districts with not a single case reported till now and the borders of both these districts have been sealed in order to contain cross-border spread of the virus.

With the growing number of positive cases, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is expected to hold a review meeting with group of ministers and top officials to take a stock of the situation.