The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday reiterated that it will pay Rs 2,000 to each discharged COVID-19 patient in the state. The cash is to be used to buy nutritious food and enhance their immunity, say officials.
During a review meeting held in Amaravati on Sunday, chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the officials said that financial assistance of Rs 2,000 will be paid to those who are discharged.
A press release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) quoted officials telling Jagan that out of the 231 people discharged so far, a few of them had already received the amount, while the allowance would be disbursed to the remaining people soon.
"With concern to the panic being created among the public due to fake news and a section of the media highlighting unnecessary issues, the Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary steps to fill confidence among the public instead of fear (sic)," the CMO release stated.
Officials also brough to Jagan's notice, some instances where recovered people were facing discrimination in their locality. The Chief Minister said that such acts should not be tolerated and asked officials to create awareness among the people and take necessary measures to make sure that there is no stigma.
The tally of COVID-19 cases in the state climbed to 1,097 on Sunday morning, as 81 new patients were reported in a 24-hour period ending at 10 am. The majority of cases were reported from Vijayawada where 52 cases were detected.
The state government has been aggressively conducting testing in the red zones, of which Krishna district is one. Red zones have been designated in Guntur, Kurnool, and Nellore as well.
The spurt in coronavirus cases is being attributed to the increase in the number of tests in the state.
In a sign of relief for the state, no new cases have been reported from Srikakulam district which had reported three cases, for the first time, on Friday. Vizianagaram district which has not reported a single case till date, remains the only coronavirus-free district in the state.
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