12 COVID cases, 4 deaths reported in A.P. since June 26, but no need to worry, says health official

Twelve COVID-19 cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh between June 26 and July 16, and four patients, who had multiple comorbidities, died during this period, said an official release issued by the Health Department.

According to the release issued by Health Secretary G. Veerapandian on Thursday, all the four patients—three from Kadapa and one from Kakinada—had pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and other severe illnesses.

The first case was reported on June 26 in Kadapa district, which also reported the highest of the eight cases. There are two cases in Mangalagiri in Guntur district, and one each in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.

Mr. Veerapandian said there was no cluster outbreak, and that the cases were reported from different mandals. Between June 26 and July 15, sixty-seven people were tested for COVID-19 in the State.

The release said that 339 COVID-19 cases had been recorded in India since July 1. The highest number of cases has been reported in Kerala (115), followed by Karnataka (64), Maharashtra (43), Tamil Nadu (39), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (18), Delhi (18), Rajasthan (12).

As concerns surrounding the increase in infections grow, National Indian Medical Association (IMA) COVID Task Force Co-Chairman Rajeev Jayadevan says that there is nothing to worry about the current situation, since respiratory viruses, including coronavirus, have a cyclical pattern of spread and that they continue to evolve to evade immunity.

In 2022, when the last big surge caused by the Omicron variant was reported, and in 2026, the world has seen periodic cyclical viral circulations. All of these continued for a few months before dying down. The current situation, too, may blow over by August end, the medical expert says.

“This is because most people in the country must have had the infection at least once during the three waves of COVID-19, and also because of widespread vaccination, many have a baseline immune system now. So, when a new variant enters a community, it infects people and dies down after circulating for three to four months,” Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, who is also the Convener of the Research cell of the Kerala-IMA, explained.

He says that while the immune memory may not stop the infection, it will stop the infection from becoming fatal.

He added that the variants that are now dominating the world, including BA.3.2 and XFG and NB.1.8.1, are milder in nature. However, people with comorbidities and elderly people remain vulnerable to the infection.

While genome sequencing reports sent from the State to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, are yet to come, the doctor thinks that the variant currently dominant in the country and Andhra Pradesh might be one of the above.