<p>Andhra Pradesh health authorities on Thursday confirmed a young Nellore man in his twenties as the state’s first Covid-19 positive case.</p>.<p>Though the health department had on Wednesday informed that his samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology Pune for confirmation as is the norm being followed by the states including Telangana, the declaration was made based on the tests conducted at the virology lab of the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati.</p>.<p>“So far all Covid-19 cases were being confirmed based on NIV reports. But now since the cases are increasing, the centre has designated some regional labs across the country as confirmatory labs. SVIMS is one such in our state,” Dr Jawahar Reddy, special chief secretary, health and family welfare told DH.</p>.<p>The Covid-10 positive man had returned from Italy to Nellore on March 6 and had developed a dry cough. He was admitted into the government general hospital in the town and kept under treatment in an isolation ward.</p>.<p>The test conducted at SVIMS, Tirupati had shown the man as infected with Covid-19. </p>.<p>“As per the protocol, we have shared these reports with the Indian Council of Medical Research and they concurred with the result,” said Reddy.</p>.<p>The patient is now described as stable with all his vital organs functioning normally. “The man recovered from symptoms and is keeping in good health. He would be discharged after the 14-day period if found to be negative in the sample test again,” said one official.</p>.<p>As per procedures laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all the five contacts – including his parents – were brought under hospital quarantine. None of them exhibited any Covid-19 symptoms.</p>.<p>Out of the 52 samples of suspicious persons in the state, 47 turned negative, while four results are awaited. Andhra Pradesh is the last South Indian state to report a positive Covid-10 case.</p>
<p>Andhra Pradesh health authorities on Thursday confirmed a young Nellore man in his twenties as the state’s first Covid-19 positive case.</p>.<p>Though the health department had on Wednesday informed that his samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology Pune for confirmation as is the norm being followed by the states including Telangana, the declaration was made based on the tests conducted at the virology lab of the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati.</p>.<p>“So far all Covid-19 cases were being confirmed based on NIV reports. But now since the cases are increasing, the centre has designated some regional labs across the country as confirmatory labs. SVIMS is one such in our state,” Dr Jawahar Reddy, special chief secretary, health and family welfare told DH.</p>.<p>The Covid-10 positive man had returned from Italy to Nellore on March 6 and had developed a dry cough. He was admitted into the government general hospital in the town and kept under treatment in an isolation ward.</p>.<p>The test conducted at SVIMS, Tirupati had shown the man as infected with Covid-19. </p>.<p>“As per the protocol, we have shared these reports with the Indian Council of Medical Research and they concurred with the result,” said Reddy.</p>.<p>The patient is now described as stable with all his vital organs functioning normally. “The man recovered from symptoms and is keeping in good health. He would be discharged after the 14-day period if found to be negative in the sample test again,” said one official.</p>.<p>As per procedures laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all the five contacts – including his parents – were brought under hospital quarantine. None of them exhibited any Covid-19 symptoms.</p>.<p>Out of the 52 samples of suspicious persons in the state, 47 turned negative, while four results are awaited. Andhra Pradesh is the last South Indian state to report a positive Covid-10 case.</p>
