High Court orders examination of discrepancy in black fungus cases reported by the Central and State governments

Amicus curiae Y.V. Ravi Prasad stated that if there is a large scale incidence of COVID-19 in particular areas, steps need to be taken to declare such areas as containment zones.

A division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice N. Jayasurya directed the Assistant Solicitor General of India N. Harinath and special government pleader of Andhra Pradesh, C. Sumon to examine the discrepancy in the number of Mucormycosis (black fungus) cases projected in the memos filed by the Union of India and the State following a submission by amicus curiae Y.V. Ravi Prasad that there is a big difference of 1,700 cases. During a hearing on cases related to the prevalence of COVID-19, on Tuesday, the judges also ordered that Mr. Sumon should place before them in a tabular form the positivity rate in each one of the 13 districts in the last fifteen days and to indicate whether there is any definite pattern of spread of the virus in any particular areas, on being told by the counsels for the petitioners that East Godavari, West Godavari and Chittoor districts have more cases on a regular basis compared to the other districts. Mr. Ravi Prasad stated that if there is a large scale incidence of COVID-19 in particular areas, steps need to be taken to declare such areas as containment zones, and highlighted the importance of micro-level management in arresting the spread of the disease.