Number of COVID-19 cases in T'gana reach 13; seven Indonesians test positive

The number of coronavirus cases in Telangana reached 13 with a group of seven Indonesians and a youth, who returned from Scotland, testing positive for the virus on Wednesday.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the state stood at six after the Scotland-returned youth tested positive for the virus.

However, it went up to 13 after a special media bulletin on COVID-19 issued by the state government late on Wednesday night stated that seven Indonesians, who came for religious activity, tested positive.

An Indonesian citizen, who is part of the group, had already positive for the virus on Tuesday.

The Indonesians have been kept in isolation since March 16, the bulletin said.

The Indonesians visited Karimnagar in the state and the administration has initiated measures to identify those who came in contact with them.

With the number of positive cases climbing to 13, the state health department, led by the health minister, is preparing a plan of action to deal with the situation, official sources said.

The 13 cases include the first positive case of a techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao convened a "high-level, emergency meeting" on Thursday to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, a release from his office said.

The state government has already announced closure of all educational institutions (from primary school to university) till March 31 and the closure of cinema halls, bars, pubs for a week (from March 14), among other measures.

All district collectors, police commissioners, superintendents of police are invited for the meeting convened by Rao.

Rao urged people to be alert as the person who travelled from Indonesia to Karimnagar has tested positive for the virus, it said.

Against this backdrop, preventive measures to be taken and regulations to be followed would be discussed in the meeting on Thursday, it said.

Observing that the state government is already implementing one-week and 15-day action plan (comprising closure of educational institutions and others) to prevent spread of the virus, it said some more preventive measures would be declared in the Thursday meeting.

The CM has urged the people to stay away from festivals and celebrations which witness participation of people in groups.