Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday said that people should not be scared or feel fearful about coronavirus as the spread was not on alarming scales, although there were relaxations given in the lockdown guidelines.
However, Rao said that people should be cautious and alert.
"If there is an increase in positive cases, the medical and health departments are ready to offer medical services to any number of cases. Hence, there is no room for any anxiety. But, some are having symptoms. We have to provide good medical treatment for them. There is a need to take extra care to patients in serious health condition. They should be kept in hospital and provided treatment," Rao was quoted as saying in a statement by Telangana Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
"People who have tested positive but have no symptoms should also be monitored. People should follow COVID-19 guidelines and lockdown restrictions and they should take adequate precautions," he said.
Speaking further, the Chief Minister said, "According to some estimates, positive cases may increase in the country in the next two to three months. But, people should not entertain any fear or anxiety. The government is ready to provide treatment for any number of cases in the state. The required PPE kits, test kits, masks, beds, ventilators and hospitals are all ready."
Rao instructed the officials concerned to provide emergency services to those coronavirus positive patients, whose health deteriorates.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting here on Wednesday at Pragathi Bhavan on coronavirus spread, containment measures and implementation of the lockdown.
Ministers Etela Rajender, Niranjan Reddy, Srinivas Goud, Puvvada Ajay, Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP Mahender Reddy, Principal Secretary Narsing Rao, Special Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Principal Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Kaloji Health University Vice-Chancellor Karunakar Reddy, DME Ramesh Reddy, DPH Srinivas, Medical and Health Advisor Gangadhar and others attended the meeting.
On the occasion, medical officers, medical experts, state-level committees examining the developments that are taking place on COVID-19 all over the world explained to the Chief Minister and ministers about the present situation.
"No one should be scared after seeing the developments in the world regarding the coronavirus pandemic. According to studies conducted all over the world and estimates by the World Health Orgsation (WHO), despite the spread of the virus, the symptoms are not appearing in a majority of people," the medical officers and experts said as per the official release.
"About 80 per cent of those having the virus have no symptoms and they need no treatment. Only 15 per cent of them have influenza-like symptoms, cold, cough, difficulty in breathing. People with influenza-like symptoms will recover fast. Only 5 per cent of them have Severe Acute Respiratory Illness. More care should be taken about these patients. A majority of deaths happened in this category," they said.
The experts said that the death rate in the country is 2.86 per cent while in Telangana it is 2.82 per cent.
"These patients had a history of other ailments. There is a movement of people after the relaxations in lockdown guidelines. Since, there is no medicine and vaccine for coronavirus, people should stay alert. They should take personal precautions," they further said.
( With inputs from ANI )