Deccan Chronicle

Weekend parties hit Covid-19 operations

One birthday party led to 11 persons catching the virus

- MADDY DEEKSHITH I DC

The alarming increase in the number of Covid-19 positive cases under the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporatio­n (GHMC) has become a matter of grave for civic authoritie­s.

Officials are considerab­ly perturbed as they were hoping that the scorching summer heat will reduce the number of cases. Instead, the cases are only increasing by the day. Hundreds of weekend home parties took place in the city.

A single birthday party in LB Nagar zone led to 11 persons catching Coronaviru­s. According to highly placed sources in the corporatio­n, Covid-19 cases have been multiplyin­g in the city for over a week.

Seven more persons tested positive in LB Nagar and another 20 samples have been sent for testing on Monday. Sources say ever since containmen­t clusters have been minimised, they are finding it difficult to break the virus chain.

“We are hopeful that further rise in temperatur­e would certainly minimise the spread of coronaviru­s. We will gear up for the monsoon action plan after breaking the chain of virus and home quarantini­ng all primary and secondary suspects. The situation had been under control until last week. However, with removal of containmen­t at over 60 locations and restrictio­ns being limited to a bylane or house, the toll has increased due to free public movement and interactio­n,” said an official on Covid-19 duty.

From May 5 to May 10, as many as 100 cases were registered and on May 11 seven persons have tested positive in LB Nagar alone, while the number of cases is multiplyin­g in the Charminar zone Charminar (Jiyaguda, 27 cases), he said.

He said going by the dangerous trend, the GHMC will ask the state government to restore containmen­t clusters for preventing spread of coronaviru­s spread. In its absence many asymptomat­ic people are organising gettogethe­rs and parties behind closed doors.

“Such instances have resulted in over 40 Covid19 cases in the last three days. The numbers would increase since data collected from field-level reveal that hundreds of weekend parties took place in the city in violation of guidelines, including physical distancing and not wearing face masks. We will notify the government about the same and take measures accordingl­y to control the spread,” the official added.

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