HYDERABAD: The State recorded its highest daily count of Covid-19 cases in the last two months with 216 fresh cases on Friday. This is the highest number of cases reported in Telangana in the last 58 days. The spike was witnessed in the densely populated GHMC region, sparking fear of the beginning of a second wave. Nearly 52 cases were reported from here. Warangal (11), Adilabad (10)and Karimnagar (11) also reported high caseload compared to the last few weeks.
The number of active cases in the State has now increased to 1,918, with two deaths reported on Friday. Covid testing, however, continued to be below 50,000 with only 34,482 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
Despite the increase in number of cases, Covid containment zones, which were once a norm, have not been established yet. Meanwhile, cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, where cases are rising, have set up containments zones in urban pockets, buildings and approach roads to contain the spread.
“There are barely two to three cases per PHC, and each of them are from different areas. Only 14 cases are being reported in a population of 5 lakh. Unless we have about 10-15 cases from a specific area, it is difficult to set up containment zones,” said an official from the Central Zone. Another official explained that they were using the approach of conducting tests via mobile vans in areas where cases are more.
“We are testing for the virus in markets and public areas. Contact tracing is also something we are focusing on,” added an official from the West Zone.Meanwhile, Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir urged the State government to take additional measures to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 in the State.