From Our Bureau
18th April 2020
Forty-three fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported in Telangana on Saturday, taking the State’s total to 809 confirmed cases. The death toll remained at 18, with no fatality in the last 24 hours. 186 patients were discharged after recovery so far and 605 active confirmed cases are in the hospitals now.
According to a media bulletin from the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, in view of COVID-19 global pandemic, the State of Telangana has strengthened surveillance, contact tracing and containment measures against the possible spread of disease.
Majority of the cases are in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation areas. Hyderabad district is high focus area. Robust containment is being initiated in GHMC areas. A special strategy is being adopted to contain spread of infection in GHMC areas. In line with 30 GHMC circles, senior officers (doctors) are being identified and vested with the powers of District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) so as to ensure prompt and immediate action.
Till date, there is no evidence of community transmission in Telangana. Seven Diagnostic labs are functional 24/7 to meet the Diagnostic demand. The family contacts and secondary contacts of Markaz, Delhi are being traced, tracked, tested and treated for COVID-19.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), in a press note on Saturday, said that new COVID-19 positive cases were reported today. All the positive cases were shifted to Gandhi Hospital. Primary contacts of these cases are being traced and samples will be collected for testing. Primary contacts will be shifted to Government quarantine for observation. If the primary contacts tests positive for COVID-19, then they will be shifted to Gandhi Hospital.
Containment Zones: All the new positive cases are taken up for containment activities by barricading the entire area, as per the guidelines issued by the Government. All roads of the locality are closed by giving one common entry and exit point to the zone. The containment zone information is also intimated to all the residents of that area.
Nodal Officers are appointed from GHMC, Health, Police, Entomology wings. Sanitation officer is also appointed from GHMC. Surveillance team is deployed to conduct door-to-door fever survey. For supply of medicines nearest Medical shop vendor details are communicated to the all the households.
Restrictions are imposed on all residents in the containment area to confine in their houses. One Nodal officer is appointed for the convenience of the public in containment area. Pamphlets are distributed to all residents with contact numbers to attend to their essential needs. Vendors are also appointed for supplying essential commodities, vegetables and milk. GHMC appointed one employee to attend the household calls for home delivery.
Special teams are deployed to do sanitation two times in a day. Teams are also appointed for spraying sodium hypo chlorite chemical twice a day in the containment zone. Emergency teams are working round the clock to monitor the situation in the containment area. 32 Ambulances are kept at different locations to attend requests. (eom)
