Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 17 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister Muthamshetty Srinivasa Rao on Friday said that the state government is taking all possible steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.During a press conference, the minister said that a meeting of the District Task Force Committee was being held with the concerned authorities on the steps being taken to control COVID-19. He suggested that COVID-19 testing should be increased as the number of cases are likely to surge in the coming days. The quarantine centres and COVID care hospitals have been directed to provide infrastructure, good quality meals, drinking water facilities and better sanitation. Even the lockdown regulations are strictly enforced in all Containment Zones.

Rao further said, "There are still 2,530 coronavirus positive cases registered in Visakhapatnam district, of which, 1,521 had been discharged and currently 963 active cases are being treated at COVID Care Centers and various notified hospitals in the city, with 46 death cases reported."

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"There are 129 very active clusters, 212 active clusters, 217 dormant, 39 denotified beds. There are 2,274 beds and 54 ventilators. All COVID care hospitals have a staff of up to 2,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, among others and up to 3,000 people have been tested for free in the district so far," Rao said.

District Collector V Vinay Chand said, "The lockdown is being strictly enforced in urban and rural containment zones. In addition to urban areas, de-centralized co-operative care centres are being set up in all constituencies in the wake of cases coming up in rural areas. The village and ward secretariats are being set up as a centre where the test will be conducted with TrueNet machines as per ICMR guidelines." (ANI)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)