Two die of COVID-19 in Andhra’s Kadapa, first fatalities since 2022: Report

Two people have died due to COVID-19 and four others have tested positive for the virus in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district, marking the state’s first reported COVID-19 fatalities since 2022, according to The Times of India.The first death occurred on June 28 at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. A 60-year-old patient, who was initially admitted to the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati before being shifted to CMC Vellore, died while undergoing treatment. An RT-PCR test conducted after his death confirmed he was COVID-19 positive.In the second case, a 46-year-old man from Masapeta in Kadapa died at the Government General Hospital–RIMS (GGH-RIMS), Kadapa, after testing positive for the virus. He had been admitted on July 4 with COVID-like symptoms and succumbed four days later despite intensive treatment, according to reports. The deceased was reportedly suffering from severe bilateral lung infections and had a history of heavy alcohol consumption, which may have worsened his respiratory condition, doctors say.According to The Times of India, four other people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the district. Based on their symptoms, health officials suspect the infections may be caused by an Omicron subvariant.Samples from the two deceased patients have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for genome sequencing to identify the variant responsible for the infections.Meanwhile, the death of one Mahaboob Basha, a resident of Almaspet in Kadapa, triggered concerns over the spread of the virus in the district. However, Kadapa district collector Dr Cherukuri Sridhar clarified that the death was not related to Covid-19."The deceased did not succumb to Covid-19. He was suffering from pre-existing cardiac and liver-related ailments. Covid was not the cause of death," the collector told Deccan Chronicle.