In a major policy decision to rebut the criticism from Opposition parties on the low testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the State government has decided to conduct tests on 50,000 people in four districts in the next 10 days.
The development comes as part of strengthening the vigilance in the State capital and districts abutting it for effectively tackling the spread of the coronavirus. The government has accordingly decided to conduct tests in 30 Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts in the coming one week to 10 days.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao who reviewed the situation arising out of the increasing number of coronavirus positive cases with senior officials on Sunday took a decision to this effect. Private hospitals and laboratories would be engaged in conducting the tests in line with the norms of the Indian Council for Medical Research and at prices fixed by the Central government for conducting tests.
ADVERTISEMENT
Officials explained to the Chief Minister that the spread of virus in the State was relatively low as compared to several other States and Telangana continued to be among the top States with low mortality and high recovery rates. In spite of the significant improvement witnessed in checking the spread of the pandemic, Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts continued to report more cases as compared to other districts while the incidence was also more in Sangareddy and Vikarabad districts.
Taking note of the developments in the past few days in these areas, the Chief Minister directed the officials concerned to take steps to arrest the spread of the virus in 30 Assembly constituencies in these areas on a war footing. The Chief Minister said the State capital was among the highly populated metropolitan cities in the country and there was need for ensuring that the reputation of the city in maintaining public health should be maintained.
Further, steps should be taken to ensure that people who tested positive, but without severe impact of the virus, should be kept in their respective houses and free treatment should be provided to all such patients undergoing home quarantine. The Government had decided to conduct tests as a precautionary measure and there was no need for concern.
ADVERTISEMENT
People should take personal precautions and aged people should remain home while people with other ailments should take adequate care. The government was prepared to treat any number of people testing positive to the virus and the entire infrastructure and equipment had been put in place to meet the requirements.
Testing kits, personal protection equipment, N-95 masks, beds and ICU besides required number of ventilators had been put in place. “The government is working with total commitment and alertness to see that treatment is provided to all the required,” he said.