COVID POSITIVES IN TS 453 WITH 49 FRESH CASES

The total number of coronavirus (Covid-19) positive cases touched 453 in Telangana on Wednesday, with the government saying 49 more persons tested positive for the disease since Tuesday night.

However, the actual number of Covid-19 patients currently being treated is 397, while 45 were cured and discharged so far, while 11 people have succumbed to the disease.

The highest rise in cases in a single day’s were reported from Ranga Reddy district, where number of cases rose from 10 on Tuesday to 27 on Wednesday. The number of Covid-19 cases in Hyderabad rose from 150 to 161. In Nirmal, the increase was from four to ten.

Health minister Etala Rajender told a press conference that each of the 1,100 and odd people from the state who attended the three-day Markaz event in New Delhi were identified and samples collected from them for testing.

Samples were also collected from 2,200 persons, who are either members of families of these individuals or close contacts.

Telangana, which has been recording sizeable numbers of new Covid-19 cases over the past few days, might be looking forward to easing of case numbers in next few days.

“We hope that once test results of all those who returned from the Markaz congregation organised by the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi, as well as their close contacts are received, we will begin seeing new cases in single digits again,” health minister Etala Rajendar said.

Mr Rajendar said that there were no cases of community transmission of Coronavirus in the state, and every case so far was either of a primary patient, who returned to the state after contracting the disease while abroad, or from whom members of families caught the disease. While 200 of the Markaz returnees who tested positive are considered primary cases, those from their families who got the disease from them are considered secondary patients, he said.

The government has taken many steps, anticipating every possibility, which resulted in controlling the spread of Covid-19 disease, the health minister said.

In a couple of days, rest of people who returned from abroad will also be completing their home quarantine. Once they complete quarantine, only ones who will still be under watch will be those who returned from Markaz or their contacts, he said.

Mr Rajendar said the state had at present a stock of 80,000 personal protection equipment (PPE) kits and it has placed orders for an additional five lakh PPE kits. Orders have also been placed for two crore triple layered surgical masks, one crore gloves, while 15,040 beds have been readied in 22 private medical colleges to accommodate any possible surge in patients requiring isolation.

“We completed a quarantine facility with 1,500 beds at Gachibowli sports complex in just 15 days,” he added.

The minister, however, made it clear that any

Covid-19 positive case will only be treated at the Gandhi General Hospital. Individuals suspected with Coronavirus infections may be admitted to different government hospitals in districts where they live, but once anyone tests positive, they will be transferred to Gandhi.

Mr Rajendar added the government has spent

`400 crore on purchase of medicines so far.