Of the 1,660 COVID-19 cases detected in the month of May, 1,004 or over 60% were from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, according to details provided in medical bulletins issued by Telangana Health department.
What’s more, the cases are no more limited to a few pockets of Hyderabad, but detected across the city. The remaining 654 cases came from other districts or were detected in migrants, foreign evacuees and deportees.
At least nine districts reported zero cases in the past 14 days. Officials from the Health department said that better containment measures were taken in rural localities but when it came to the city, they were tough to implement.
When number of cases detected only in GHMC are considered, the single day highest of 122 was recorded on May 31. Overall, cases started to spike after relaxations of lockdown norms from May 16. Ten days before that, liquor shops had opened.
COVID-19 cases recorded in the past four days give an idea about the upward trajectory. At least 303 cases were recorded in GHMC from May 28 to 31. And the cases are expected to only rise in the coming days.
The high percentage and widespread cases in GHMC make it imperative for people to maintain precautions. However, many stepping out of home are not maintaining precautions such as wearing mask, observing physical distance and personal hygiene.
200 cases among elderly
Senior officials in the Health department had earlier said that over 200 of the total cases were above 60 years old who had not even stepped out of home. They contracted the disease from someone from their family who went out and did not observe precautions.
A majority of the COVID-19 deaths were among the elderly or those suffering from co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and organ failure.
Officials say they will continue surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI). Health staff will also keep a close watch on spike in deaths from any locality. If they find any surge in SARI, ILI cases or deaths in a locality, they will have to conduct thorough probe of the extent of coronavirus in such areas.
