A day ahead of the crucial meeting of Telangana state Cabinet to decide on extending the lockdown, state health officials on Monday urged Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao not to give any relaxations in Hyderabad and three surrounding districts which account for the highest number of Covid-19 positive cases and deaths.
At a review meeting, the officials said there was a need to further tighten the lockdown in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchel and Vikarabad districts.
They informed him that the cases in other districts have decreased and the number of containment zones has also been reduced.
KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, held an eight-hour long review meeting on coronavirus spread and implementation of lockdown. Medical and Health Minister E. Rajender, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP Mahender Reddy, Special Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Family Welfare Commissioner AYogita Rani and senior officials attended the meeting.
The CM commented that only three positive cases reported on Monday and 40 patients getting discharged was a good omen.
The officials submitted a report to the Chief Minister informing him that so far 1,085 were infected by the virus and out of them, 585 recovered and discharged from hospitals and 29 have died. A total of 471 patients are currently under the treatment.
The virus spread is more in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchel and Vikarabad districts. Of the total 1,085 positive cases, 717 (66.08 per cent) belong to these four districts. Among those dead, 82.21 per cent belong to Hyderabad and three surrounding districts. For the past 10 days, the highest number of cases reported from these districts.
"The situation is not at all good in these districts. Hence, please do not given any relaxations in these four districts. Continue lockdown as it is, if need be, more strictly. The situation has improved in other districts. Containment zones number also decreased there. In those districts red Zones are becoming Orange zones and Orange zones are becoming green," the report submitted by the Medical and Health Department stated.
The Cabinet, which will meet on Tuesday, may discuss at length on the report and decide whether to continue the lockdown conditions, or give some relaxations and what should be done in the districts where the coronavirus spread is more.
( With inputs from IANS )