One fresh case of COVID-19 in T gana; Total rises to 17

A fresh case of coronavirus was reported in Telagana on Friday, taking the total number of those who tested positive for the infection in the state to 17.

An 18-year-old woman, a resident of the city who returned from London, become the latest to test positive, a media bulletin issued by the state government said.

The woman was referred from a private hospital and presently admitted to the state-run TB and Chest Hospital in the city. "The patient is stable," it said.

The state has witnessed a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases since Wednesday when eight, including seven Indonesians, testing positive for the virus. Another Indonesian had tested positive a day earlier. They had stayed in Karimnagar for two days last week.

On Thursday, three cases were reported with one of them with travel history to Dubai and the other two having returned from London.

An official release on Friday said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would visit Karimnagar on Saturday and hold a meeting with officials there on the preventive measures initiated by the administration in view of the infected Indonesians' stay in the town.

Rao has been monitoring the Karimnagar situation and wanted to visit the town on Friday itself, but it as been postponed as a video conference is scheduled to be held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said.

Meanwhile, addressing members of Indian Medical Association and other Associations, state Health Minister E Rajender said those who tested positive have not contracted the virus in the state.

Hoping that the virus would not spread in the state, he said the government was, however, fully geared up to fight against COVID-19.

Rao, who held a meeting with ministers, senior officials and district Collectors on Thursday, had said district Collectors and police officials have been given clear directives to identify people who arrived in the state from abroad after March 1 so that those having symptoms of COVID-19 could be referred to medical authorities.

He had also said cinema halls, bars, pubs, clubs and others, which have been closed for a week earlier, would remain closed till March 31.

The restrictions imposed earlier on certain establishments for a week have been extended till March 31, he had said.