Lockdown relaxation has led to enormous coronavirus infections in the city by increasing the number of primary contacts pertaining to each index case.
Officials on condition of anonymity said that primary contacts, which were limited to family members in the cases before lockdown, are now extending to workplaces and other locations too.
Further, family and community events such as birthday parties, engagements and funerals, are turning out to be the hotspots of infection. On an average, the number of primary contacts in each case have doubled and tripled post lockdown, making contact tracing by officials a herculean effort.
Reluctance of patients to share information about the events they attended is also proving to be a major roadblock.
“If the source of infection is traced, 90% of our job would be done. But several patients go into shock when they learn about their positive status, and do not reveal anything about the places they visited, making it extremely difficult for us to trace the contacts,” an official shared. Several positive cases from city and outside have the funeral of an aged person at Jiyaguda as their source. The range of infection from that event spread from Saroornagar to Shadnagar, officials say.
Spike in cases post lockdown in Telangana is especially alarming in Amberpet and Musheerabad circles, where no single source could be pinpointed so far. The number of active cases hover around 75 in the Secunderabad zone, which constitute more than half the number of total cases here. Circles such as Begumpet, Malkajgiri and Secunderabad, where the number was brought down to zero during lockdown, have started registering fresh cases.
“Cases have spiralled unimaginably during the past one week since lockdown was relaxed. They are diffuse, and cannot be traced to any single source. Several were of patients who frequented hospitals and clinics for various ailments,” said an official. Patients who approached hospitals with respiratory distress being tested for COVID-19 now.
Large number of police personnel too have tested positive across the city. Though officials peg the number at 26, sources say the number could be higher. Added with their primary contacts, the number spiralled enormously. For instance, 12 family members of an ASI from Gowlipura tested positive after him.
Eleven constables who tested positive were from Lal Darwaza area, and one was from Vivekanand Nagar. Six to seven policemen were from Amberpet and Musheerabad areas. Six to seven GHMC sanitation workers too have tested positive, along with family.
