HYDERABAD: Telangana recorded one more COVID-19 death on Wednesday. The latest death was that of a patient who was undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the Telangana government reduced the number of coronavirus deaths to five. Meanwhile, 12 persons tested positive on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 107.
Speaking to mediapersons, Health Minister Eatala Rajender said the State, in fact, had recorded two deaths on Wednesday, one at Gandhi and another at a private hospital. "We are not sure if the second death was due to Coronavirus. Further tests are being conducted on the deceased person," he said.
Later, in a press release, the Minister said, "The State is working hard to control the spread of Coronavirus. It was Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who first sought a ban on all the international flights. It was Telangana which gave information to the Central government on the Markaz in Nizamuddin."
He said close to a 1,000 people attended Markaz in Nizamuddin. Except 160, the government has identified everyone. As of now, there has been no community transmission in Telangana. “About 10 people who had previously been tested negative after receiving treatment at Gandhi Hospital will be discharged after another round of testing,” the Minister said.
Junior doctors attacked
Meanwhile, the junior doctors who treated the coronavirus patient, who died on Wednesday, were assaulted by the patient’s attendants.
Speaking to Express, Dr Lohith, a member of Gandhi Junior Doctors’ Association, said, "The 49-year-old man, who passed away, was undergoing treatment along with his two family members for the last four days. However, his condition had been critical, and we had been constantly counselling the family members. Today, at about 5.30 pm, he breathed his last as his family members did not give their consent for us to make an incision in his throat for conducting the intubation procedure."
Another doctor, on the condition of anonymity, said, “We have been requesting the authorities to provide us with extra security personnel, but there has been no response. Now, the lives of the doctors are on the line as they may be infected as well. Initially, the police too were hesitant to intervene fearing contracting the infection.”The Health Minister condemned the attack and said stringent action would be taken.
Medical teams face angry mob in Nizamabad
In a development that might affect the morale of the medical and health department staff, several of them faced an angry mob at Quila area here on Wednesday. They had gone there to conduct a door-to-door survey to identify those who have come in contact with the attendees of the Markaz-Nizamuddin convention in Delhi.
The residents of the area, who were irked by the presence of the health workers, asked them to go back. Besides obstructing the work, the residents argued with them on the need for a door-to-door survey. They even snatched papers that the staff were carrying, tore them into pieces and threw them in a dustbin.
Time running out for others who are infected
For someone who might have been infected on March 15 itself by the SARS-Coronavirus-2 and is yet to be traced, the crucial period of 14 days in which the virus can get incubated and cause COVID-19 disease is already over. Time is also running out for many others who came in contact with them.
It should not come as a surprise that six deaths in TS (till Tuesday) due to COVID-19 are all Markaz-related. They were Telangana citizens who attended the three-day event in Delhi and returned.
It may be mentioned here that even before this three-day event came to an end, as early as March 16, the Telangana government had shifted some Indonesian nationals who were residing at a mosque in Karimnagar to quarantine in Gandhi Hospital. They are all members of the Tabilighi Jamaat.