HYDERABAD: Cautioning the Telangana government about the rise in number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra and Karnataka, a division bench of the High Court on Thursday directed the State to take immediate steps to prevent a second wave of Covid-19. The bench expressed concern over large gatherings in public places, and directed the State to closely monitor such congregations in the interest of citizens.
“There is a need to restrict congregations. Are you (State government) ready to tackle a second wave? What type of precautions has been taken in view of interstate movement between Telangana and neighbouring states,” the bench asked the government. The bench further expressed shock over the Director of Public Health’s decision to release Covid-19 bulletins only once a week. It asked the officer to continue issuing daily bulletins, informing the number of Covid cases registered in each district and so on, and to make the data available for public.
Further, the bench directed the State to conduct sero-surveillance surveys in all 33 districts in Telangana, and to give adequate publicity regarding vaccination programmes. It also directed the State to file a fresh status report by March 18 - the next date of case hearing.