Worried over the spread of COVID-19 in the city since the easing of lockdown restrictions, Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz said that containment zones were being set up in 42 of the total 64 wards that come under the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC).
This includes arterial roads and several commercial areas, where business activity was slowly picking up over the last few days.
The wards where containment zones have been set up include ward numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8,11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 63 and 64.
The Collector said that he took the decision "in view of public safety and the need to ensure no loss to human life due to the spread of COVID-19 infection," as "the prevention and spread of infection is of paramount importance."
"All activities which are permitted previously shall be restricted under the ambit of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005. Strict perimeter control shall be under enforcement in the core area while restricted movements will be allowed inside the buffer area," the order by the Collector stated.
Any violation of the orders would attract cases under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to reports, the decision was taken after the number of COVID-19 cases in Krishna district rose to 570, out of which 520 were from Vijayawada city alone.
Meanwhile, with 216 new cases, the COVID-19 tally crossed the 5000-mark in Andhra Pradesh as it reached 5,029 on Tuesday. The death toll increased by two to 77. The medical health bulletin also said that 64 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the cumulative discharges to 2,775 and active cases in the state to 2,177.
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