Telangana records 49 fresh cases of COVID-19, Death toll rises to 21

Telangana

From Our Bureau

19th April 2020

Forty-nine fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported in Telangana on Sunday, taking the State’s total to 858 confirmed cases. The death toll rose to 21, with three fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours. 186 patients were discharged after recovery so far and 651 active confirmed cases are in the hospitals now. 

Addressing a media conference after cabinet meeting, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the situation in the State was under control. The number of confirmed cases in Telangana was 958 as against the country’s total cases of 15,712. The doubling rate was more than 10 days in the State as against less than 8 days nation-wide.

Death rate was 2.44 percent (21 deaths) in the State as against 3.22 percent (508 deaths) in the country. Similarly, the recovery rate was higher at 22 percent (186 cases) in the State as against 14 percent (2,230 cases) nation-wide. As many as 375 tests were conducted per million population in the State as against the national average of 254 per million.

The Chief Minister expressed the hope that the 651 active cases in the hospitals would be discharged between 20th April and 4th May. He said that four districts out of 33 in the State, namely, Warangal (rural), Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Wanaparthy and Siddipet had zero COVID-19 cases.

As on 18th April, 1,818 persons were quarantined in 127 places, including 183 persons in five places in Hyderabad. There are 151 containment zones in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area, 87 in 43 other municipalities and corporations and 54 in rural areas. All these containment zones would complete 14’ days period by 3rd May.  

As many as nine testing laboratories are functioning in the State with testing capacity of 1,560 per day. A total of 14,962 samples were collected so far and 858 cases were positive and 14,104 cases turned out to be negative. 768 samples were under process.

In terms of hospital preparedness, 11,000 COVID isolation beds and 1,400 ICU beds with ventilators are available in the State. In all, 3.04 lakh PPE kits, 3.53 lakh N95 masks, 36.50 lakh 3-Ply masks, 61,119 sample collection kits and 21,366 testing kits are available in the State. 

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 GHMC 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. Nine 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. (eom)

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