Telangana CM flags second wave of Covid-19 as state logs 873 new cases

Telangana saw 873 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the aggregate to over 263,000 while four fatalities pushed the toll to 1,430

Telangana saw 873 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the aggregate to over 2.63 lakh while four fatalities pushed the toll to 1,430.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao directed officials to take all the preventive measures needed as some states are seeing a rise in number of infections, an official release said on Sunday.

Rao who held a review meeting with senior officials said all the required steps would be taken to withstand even emergence of a second wave of the COVID-19 in the state.

He suggested people to be cautious and observe self- protection guidelines.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 152, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri 78 and Rangareddy 71, a government bulletin said providing details as of 8 pm on November 21.

As many as 11,643 patients are under treatment and 41,646 samples were tested on November 21.

Cumulatively, nearly 51.34 lakh samples have been tested.

The samples tested per million population was over 1.38 lakh, the bulletin said.

The case fatality rate in the state was 0.54 per cent, while it was 1.5 per cent at the national level.

The recovery rate in Telangana was 94.03 per cent, while it was 93.7 per cent in the country.

"Situation is returning to normalcy in the state. COVID- 19 cases are on the decrease in Telangana State. Despite an increase in the number of tests conducted, the positive cases are less than 10 per cent.

Though people with COVID-19 are suffering a bit, the mortality rate is very low. But the government is on high alert and taking all the necessary precautions," the release quoted Rao as saying.

All over the state, 10,000 beds with oxygen facility are kept ready which can be increased even as the situation is under control, it added.

States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have witnessed a surge in cases. Infections are on the rise in Kerala and Karnataka too.

There is a chance of COVID-19 second wave emerging, the release said.

Instructing officials to stay alert and be prepared in case the state is hit by a second wave of COVID-19, Rao said his government will make all the efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Seeking public support to contain the spread of the virus, Rao said as and when a vaccine is available for COVID-19, it would be first given to the healthcare workers.