Over 1 lakh with Covid symptoms identified in Telangana

Hyderabad, Jan 23:  More than one lakh people with Covid-19 symptoms were identified in Telangana in the first two days of the state-wide fever survey.

Healthcare workers are going door-to-door in Hyderabad and all other districts to identify people suffering from fever and other symptoms of Covid-19. The survey entered third day on Sunday.

Health Minister T. Harish Rao, who inspected the fever survey at Ramchandrapuram in Sangareddy district near Hyderabad on Sunday, said over one lakh home isolation kits were distributed among those found to be having symptoms.

The minister said during the first two days of the survey, 29.20 lakh houses were covered and over one lakh kits were distributed.

Harish Rao said people should not panic over Covid-19. He advised those having symptoms of Covid not to rush to medical stores to buy the medicines as the government is supplying home isolation kits free of cost.

He said those having severe symptoms should approach nearest government hospital as all necessary infrastructure and medicines are available at all government hospitals. He advised people not to rush to private hospitals and fall into debt trap.

The minister pointed out that 56,000 beds are available across the state for treatment of Covid cases. The government has ensured supply of oxygen and all required medicines.

He also said pregnant women testing positive for Covid also should not worry as all the necessary arrangements for their treatment have been made at government hospitals. "We have arranged special wards and exclusive operation theatres for Covid positive pregnant women," he said.

The health minister said fever survey will be completed in three-four days. He exuded confidence that with the cooperation of people, Covid cases will come down in the state.

Harish Rao said the cases were already on the decline in some states like Delhi, West Bengal, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.

With the number of Covid cases rising in the state for the last three weeks, the medical and health department in coordination with municipal administration, panchayat raj and other departments launched the door-to-door survey on January 21.

Healthcare workers are going door-to-door in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), other municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats to check out if any inmate is having symptoms like fever, cold and cough.

With GHMC and surrounding urban districts of Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri accounting for majority of the daily Covid cases, authorities were specially focusing here.

Each kit contains seven medicines and an advisory on how to use them. The medicines include Azithromycin (antibiotics/ antiviral), Paracetamol (fever), Levocetirizine (cold), Ranitidine (acidity), Vitamin C, Multivitamin and Vitamin D for improving immunity.

The medicines provided in the kit have to be taken for five-days. The government has one crore kits ready for distribution.

Telangana on Saturday reported 4,393 new cases. About 60 per cent of the cases were reported from GHMC, Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy.

According to health officials, the positivity rate remained low at around 3.7 per cent.

The number of active cases in the state rose to 31,199.