From Our Bureau
18th August 2020
Telangana witnessed a big surge with 1,763 COVID-19 fresh cases reported on Tuesday, taking the State’s total to 95,700 confirmed cases. The death toll rose to 719, with eight fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours. In all, 73,991 patients recovered so far, including 1,789 in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate was 0.75 percent in Telangana as against the national average of 1.92 percent.
As on today, 20,900 active confirmed cases are in hospitals or in home quarantine. Of these, 14,461 individuals in home/institutional isolation include asymptomatic cases, as per the latest official update. The number of recovered patients accounted for 77.31 percent of the total positive cases in the State. Active cases constituted 21.84 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 7,97,470 samples were tested in the State cumulatively, including 24,542 in the last 24 hours. Cumulative sample positivity rate was 12 percent. The Tests Per Million (TPM) population has seen a sharp increase to 21,480.
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 Tuesday. The tally included 484 cases in GHMC area, 169 in Medchal Malkajgiri district, 166 in Rangareddy district, 88 in Warangal Urban district, 65 in Nalgonda district, 63 in Kamareddy district, 61 in Jagityal district, 55 in Mancherial district, 53 in Karimnagar district, 46 in Peddapalli district, 45 in Nizamabad district, 41 in Khammam district, 37 in Siddipet district, 35 in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, 33 in Mahbubnagar district, 31 each in Rajanna Siricilla, Sangareddy and Warangal Rural districts, 30 in Jogulamba Gadwal district, 21 in Wanaparthy district, 20 each in Jangaon and Suryapet districts, 18 in Mahbubabad district, 17 each in Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Medak districts, 16 in Nirmal district, 15 each in Nagarkurnool and Yadadri Bhongiri districts, 12 in Mulugu district, eight each in Adilabad and Vikarabad districts and six each in Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Narayanpet 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 12.49 percent and 87.51 percent of the available beds are vacant. Only 2,547 beds were occupied and 17,849 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)
