HYDERABAD: Health officials at Tolichowki have collected and sent nearly 635 samples for RT-PCR testing to NIMS Punjagutta to check for the Covid-19 case rate in and around Paramount Colony where the first Omicron positive case was detected. Nearly 500 of these samples were collected on Thursday.
“We have increased the number of teams to 25 and each team will be handling three apartments and going door-to-door to counsel residents. We have also set up testing centres at restaurants as most families here do not cook their own food,” said Dr. Anuradha Pilli, SPHO Tollichowki.
The issue of language and explaining the need for testing continued with health officials facing stiff resistance from some residents. “It is taking nearly 30 minutes-one hour to explain things at each household. Many are refusing to open their doors or leaving before we can track them. Some have gone for hospital visits and we hope to trace them in evening,” added the official.
Omicron patients stable
Both patients infected with Omicron are asymptomatic and have been isolated in dedicated floors. Their primary contacts, one each for both the patients have also been isolated in the same hospital, though they are currently negative. “We will isolate all four of them separately for the next 14 days and conduct RT-PCR test again to check their status after which discharges would be done as per protocol,” informed Dr Vimala Thomas, TIMS director.