Covid surge in Telangana: MLAs, officials, cops test positive
HYDERABAD: There is an explosion of Covid-19 cases in Telangana. The virus’ secular attack has come as a surprise with Ministers, MLAs, senior officials, staff, policemen, doctors and healthcare workers contracting the infection. On Tuesday, the number of new cases was 2,983, taking the cumulative figure to 7.14 lakh in the State.
The speed with which the virus is spreading is causing concern among the officials. Nothing could be more depressing than to note that even Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao tested positive and is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital.
According to sources, IAS officers Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Shanti Kumari and Vikas Raj tested positive on Tuesday. Several other employees working in various departments at BRKR Bhavan, the seat of State administration, too have contracted the infection.
Among the MLAs who tested positive were TRS legislators Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy, A Jeevan Reddy and N Diwakar. State Legislative Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy has already been admitted to a hospital for Covid-19 treatment.
Congress Legislator Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and All India Congress Committee (AICC) programme implementation committee chairman Maheswar Reddy too tested positive.Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy is now in home isolation while Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao recently recovered from the virus.
A huge number of Covid-19 cases are being reported in several government offices. In the recent past, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, former MP M Anjan Kumar Yadav and former MLA M Kodanda Reddy too tested positive for Covid-19.
The virus has also taken Telangana Police Department by storm. At least 1,000 police personnel, including 10 IPS rank officials have tested positive till Tuesday. The Hyderabad police commissionerate alone accounted for 650 of those positive cases.
A senior official from the DGP office told Express that the virus is spreading rapidly among police personnel and their families. They are being monitored regularly and required assistance is provided immediately. “Though the spread is a concern, the majority of them being in home isolation and only a handful are hospitalized is a respite,” added the official.
Meanwhile, city police chief CV Anand told Express that of the 650 personnel who tested positive, six are IPS officers. Second dose is completed for all the personnel and 95 per cent of them also received booster doses. “The department is strictly adhering to the SMS (Soap-Mask-Social Distancing) policy. But physical communication cannot be avoided unless a lockdown is imposed,” he added.
While Covid cases among police personnel are reported from Narsingi, Mailardevpally, Rajendranagar, Saroornagar, LB Nagar, Balapur, Vanasthalipuram, Kukatpally and the Cybercrime wing of Hyderabad city, Narsingi police have set up a tent with facilities for people to lodge complaints and for other works, people are being prevented from entering the police station. “As many as 11 staffers are affected with the virus and are being treated under home isolation,” said Narsingi Inspector V Shiva Kumar.
The disturbing fallout of Covid-19 is that doctors and healthcare workers, who are supposed to fight the virus, too are contracting it.Around 120 house surgeons, MBBS students, post-graduates and professors in Gandhi Hospital tested positive to Covid-19 as on Tuesday. A circular has been issued in the hospital, asking those found positive, to isolate themselves.
In Osmania General Hospital, 159 PG medical students, doctors and other staff were found positive to the virus. As on Monday, 58 persons were found positive to Covid-19 at Erragadda Hospital, among whom nine were doctors and healthcare workers. At MGM Cancer Hospital, 63 healthcare workers were found positive and at Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (TIMS) around 30 doctors and other staff tested positive in the last three days.Doctors, nurses and other staff were testing positive at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Petlaburj Maternity Hospital, King Koti District Hospital and other private hospitals across the twin cities, where infections have been rising exponentially in the past few days.
The hospitals were being overburdened and have been working on 50 per cent staff and two-day quarantine leave after working for six days has been cut short by a day. All casual leaves have also been cancelled for healthcare workers. If found positive, in the past the staff used to get 15 days for treatment. Presently, a circular has been issued by the Health Department, cutting it short to just one week.
VV Balakrishna / Vivek Bhoomi / Priya Rathnam