From Our Bureau
17th August 2020
Telangana witnessed a big surge with 1,682 COVID-19 fresh cases reported on Monday, taking the State’s total to 93,937 confirmed cases. The death toll rose to 711, with eight fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours. In all, 72,202 patients recovered so far, including 2,070 in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate was 0.76 percent in Telangana as against the national average of 1.92 percent.
As on today, 21,024 active confirmed cases are in hospitals or in home quarantine. Of these, 14,140 individuals in home/institutional isolation include asymptomatic cases, as per the latest official update. The number of recovered patients accounted for 76.86 percent of the total positive cases in the State. Active cases constituted 22.38 percent of the total positive cases. Fatalities accounted for 0.76 percent of the total positive cases.
According to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, as many as 7,72,928 samples were tested in the State cumulatively, including 19,579 in the last 24 hours. Cumulative sample positivity rate was 12.15 percent. The Tests Per Million (TPM) population has seen a sharp increase to 20,818.
The total number of testing laboratories for RT-PCR/ CBNAAT/ TRUENAT tests is 39, including 16 government labs and 23 private labs. Besides, there are 1,076 rapid antigen testing centres run by the State Government.
The COVID positive cases were reported from all the 33 districts on Monday. The tally included 235 cases in GHMC area, 166 in Rangareddy district, 107 in Warangal Urban district, 106 in Medchal Malkajgiri district, 94 in Nizamabad district, 88 in Karimnagar district, 79 in Mancherial district, 69 in Jogulamba Gadwal district, 59 each in Jagityal and Peddapalli districts, 47 each in Rajanna Siricilla and Siddipet districts, 45 in Khammam district, 44 in Kamareddy district, 39 in Suryapet district, 38 in Nalgonda district, 36 in Medak district, 32 each in Jangaon and Mahbubnagar districts, 30 in Nagarkurnool district, 27 each in Bhadradri Kothagudem and Nirmal districts, 23 in Wanaparthy district, 21 in Yadadri Bhongiri district, 20 in Warangal Rural district, 19 in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, 18 each in Adilabad and Sangareddy districts, 17 in Mulugu district, 13 in Mahbubabad district, 11 in Narayanpet district, nine in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district and seven in Vikarabad district.
As on today, 61 Government hospitals have established a capacity of 20,396 COVID beds, of which 12,284 are isolations beds, 5,861 are oxygen beds and 2,251 are ICU beds. A total of 1,117 ventilators are available in these hospitals. As on date, the bed occupancy is 12.69 percent and 87.31 percent of the available beds are vacant. Only 2,589 beds were occupied and 17,807 beds were vacant.
The Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad, is identified as the “Centre of Excellence for COVID Care,” where serious cases are admitted. The other major hospitals in Hyderabad where suspects and moderately symptomatic cases are admitted are District Hospital King Koti, Government Chest Hospital and Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical Medicine (Fever Hospital).
The asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients requesting for institutional quarantine are admitted in Nature Cure Hospital, Govt. Nizamia Hospital, Govt. Ayurveda Hospital and Govt. Homeopathy Hospital.
Patients with moderate to severe symptoms, with COVID positive report are advised to go to Gandhi Hospital where the Government has made elaborate arrangements for treatment and management. Patients with symptoms but not yet confirmed and requiring COVID-19 testing should go to District Hospital, King Koti, Fever Hospital and Chest Hospital.
The Government has made elaborate arrangements for treating COVID-19 patients. Sufficient beds are available in Government hospitals. Based on the clinical requirements, beds are provided and treatment is given free of cost in Government hospitals. Sufficient quantities of personal protection equipment (PPE) and medicines are available in these hospitals.
The lockdown has been relaxed since the 16th May 2020. It is being observed that there is a lot of mobility and movement of people from all walks of life and of all age groups. People are travelling across the state and some of them are not following the basic preventive measures like wearing a mask, maintaining safe physical distancing and avoiding overcrowding. There has been a surge in the cases since relaxation of lockdown. (eom)
