Andhra Pradesh reported its eighth confirmed COVID-19 case on Tuesday with a 25-year-old man, who returned from London on March 19, testing positive for the virus.
The man, who was admitted to a hospital in Tirupati, tested positve on Tuesday, the medical and health department said in a bulletin. It said 14,907 people who returned to the state from various countries were under surveillance.
Of them 2,723 completed the 28-day quarantine period, while another 84 were admitted to hospitals across the state.
Meanwhile, state Director General of Police D G Sawang said cases were registered against 338 people under for violating the orders on total lockdown.
Over 200 vehicles in which the people were roaming on the roads were also seized, he said.
"The restrictions on account of the lockdown will only increase and we will deal very firmly with those who wilfully violate the prohibitory orders. It is only in public interest that the lockdown has been imposed," the DGP told reporters.
The DGP said while inter-state movement of vehicles and people has been stopped, inter-district borders within the state too would be shut.
In many villages across the state, the villagers themselves used various methods to seal all entry and exit routes to their respective villages to ensure "nobody goes out, nobody comes in."
Following a review meeting on the situation on Tuesday, state Health Minister Alla Nani said that necessary measures are being taken to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing the media, the minister emphasised that the people's participation in coronavirus control is very crucial and requested the public to practice social distancing. He also stressed that people should remain at home and strictly follow government orders in this regard.
While stating that the persons returning from abroad are required to report voluntarily for COVID19 clearances, the minister warned that legal action would be taken if the regulations are not followed.
On Monday, a youth returning from London to Visakhapatnam had tested positive, taking the total to seven COVID-cases in Andhra Pradesh. The state government has imposed a virtual curfew till March 31 in line with the Indian government's moves to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Alla Nani said that 20 committees have been appointed to control the spread of coronavirus.