From Our Bureau
24th October 2020
Telangana witnessed a surge with 978 COVID-19 fresh cases reported on Saturday, taking the State’s total to 2,31,252 confirmed cases. The death toll rose to 1,307, with four fresh fatalities reported in the last 24 hours. In all, 2,10,480 patients recovered so far, including 1,446 in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate was 0.56 percent in Telangana as against the national average of 1.5 percent.
As on today, 19,465 active confirmed cases are in hospitals or in home quarantine. Of these, 16,430 individuals in home/institutional isolation include asymptomatic cases, as per the latest official update. The number of recovered patients accounted for 91.02 percent of the total positive cases in the State. Active cases constituted 8.42 percent of the total positive cases. Fatalities accounted for 0.56 percent of the total positive cases.
As many as 1,61,876 patients (70 percent) were asymptomatic and 69,376 patients (30 percent of positive cases) were symptomatic.
According to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, as many as 40,79,688 samples were tested in the State cumulatively, including 27,055 in the last 24 hours. Cumulative sample positivity rate was 5.67 percent. The Tests Per Million (TPM) population has seen a sharp increase to 1,09,610.
The total number of testing laboratories for RT-PCR/ CBNAAT/ TRUENAT tests is 64, including 18 government labs and 46 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 Saturday.
As on today, 289 hospitals (61 Government and 228 private-run) have established a capacity of 17,457 COVID beds, of which 3,780 are isolations beds, 9,230 are oxygen beds and 4,447 are ICU beds. A total of 1,117 ventilators are available in the government hospitals. As on date, the bed occupancy is 17.39 percent and 82.61 percent of the available beds are vacant. Only 3,035 beds were occupied and 14,422 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)
