TS MAY APPEAL AGAINST ORDER TO TEST BODIES

Officials of the health department on Monday suggested that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao appeal in the Supreme Court against a High Court order directing the government to conduct a Covid test on the bodies of all those who died in hospitals across the state.

Mr Rao was reviewing the Covid-19 situation and the High Court orders in a high-level meeting in Pragathi Bhavan.

Health officials expressed concern at the Opposition criticism of the government with regard to tackling Covid cases and filing of PILs in the High Court pertaining to testing for Coronavirus.

Testing of only those who have symptoms will be carried out, stated the government, and voluntary mass screening is not going to be done. Some 64 doctors, including post-graduates, interns and professors, have tested positive in government teaching hospitals. The post-graduates admitted in Gandhi Hospital had mild symptoms and are recovering well, according to sources.

Despite the demand for mass testing at regular intervals, the government is adamant that testing will only be done for those who develop symptoms.

A senior doctor at Osmania Medical College, on condition of anonymity, said, “The government order is now clear that there will not be any voluntary testing. If there are symptoms only the test must be conducted.”

Those who come in contact with a Covid-19 positive patient must alert the authorities and opt for self-quarantine. The government has stated that there have been relaxations in terms of 50 per cent staff working and that method will be followed till the cases come under control.

Post-graduate doctors, interns and associate professors, who are in the frontline, are worried as this reluctance to test them will be dangerous for them as they work directly with Covid patients and are therefore vulnerable.