From Our Bureau
19th August 2020
Telangana witnessed a big surge with 1,724 COVID-19 fresh cases reported on Wednesday, taking the State’s total to 97,424 confirmed cases. The death toll rose to 729, with 10 fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours. In all, 75,186 patients recovered so far, including 1,195 in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate was 0.75 percent in Telangana as against the national average of 1.91 percent.
As on today, 21,509 active confirmed cases are in hospitals or in home quarantine. Of these, 15,076 individuals in home/institutional isolation include asymptomatic cases, as per the latest official update. The number of recovered patients accounted for 77.17 percent of the total positive cases in the State. Active cases constituted 22.08 percent of the total positive cases. Fatalities accounted for 0.75 percent of the total positive cases.
According to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, as many as 8,21,311 samples were tested in the State cumulatively, including 23,841 in the last 24 hours. Cumulative sample positivity rate was 11.86 percent. The Tests Per Million (TPM) population has seen a sharp increase to 22,122.
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 Wednesday. The tally included 395 cases in GHMC area, 169 in Rangareddy district, 105 in Medchal Malkajgiri district, 101 in Karimnagar district, 91 in Warangal Urban district, 67 in Nalgonda district, 61 each in Nizamabad and Siddipet districts, 45 each in Mancherial and Sangareddy districts, 44 in Suryapet district, 43 in Peddapalli district, 42 in Khammam district, 37 each in Jogulamba Gadwal and Rajanna Siricilla districts, 35 in Jagityal district, 34 in Medak district, 32 each in Kamareddy, Mahbubnagar and Warangal Rural districts, 28 each in Mahbubabad and Wanaparthy districts, 27 in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, 23 in Nirmal district, 22 in Nagarkurnool district, 17 in Adilabad district, 14 in Vikarabad district, 13 in Jangaon district, 11 in Mulugu district, 10 in Yadadri Bhongiri district, nine in Narayanpet district and seven each in Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Komaram Bheem Asifabad districts.
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 percent and 88 percent of the available beds are vacant. Only 2,447 beds were occupied and 17,949 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)
