Officials carry out family surveys as Andhra sees huge spike in COVID-19 cases due to Markaz attendees, contacts

The Andhra Pradesh government is carrying out a comprehensive family survey in the third round as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines and it hopes the effective steps may reflect in a downward trend in COVID-19 cases.

In a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, the officials said that the spike in cases was due to Delhi returnees and they and their contacts were identified while their samples are being examined.

The Police Department has been instructed specifically to help officials in identifying them on the ground, officials added.

The Chief Minister has directed the officials to include more details in the questionnaire on a real-time basis, besides including the ICMR guidelines. He instructed the officials to include  6,289 symptomatic members in the third survey as well.

The officials said that two more categories have been added in the survey questionnaire as per the ICMR guidelines.

The Chief Minister made it clear that there should be no error in the process.