Hyderabad: Covid cases on decline in Old City

Hyderabad: Covid-19 cases in the Old City have started showing downward trend after the imposition of lockdown. Officials claim that it has nothing to do with consumption of Halim or dry fruits as was being circulated in some social media. As against 15 to 20 cases per day in each division prior to the lockdown, the number came down to 7 per day now. However, public representatives in the Old City say that GHMC is not giving specific data.

According to GHMC, Puranapul, Begum Bazaar, Shalibanda, Saidabad, Mogulpura, Musarambagh, Golkonda, Mehdipatnam and Langar House in circle-4 and 5, a large number of positive cases were being reported before the lockdown imposed on May 12. Special Medical Officer P Jaipal said that around 15-20 positive cases were reported then and now the count is not more than 10 per day. He claimed that the people were now following corona-safety measures strictly.

The other areas where the positive cases were high were Dabeerpura, Yakutpura, Malakpet and Ajampura during the second wave compared to the first wave. There have been instances of almost all the family members were affected as many of them are joint families.

During Ramzan from April 14 to till May 12, the first day of lockdown, officials said that corona cases were on rise due to huge public gatherings at business establishments in the Old City.

The officials categorically said that there was no scientific evidence to what was being circulated on the social media claiming that people who consume Halim and dry fruits during the festival season are free from Covid infection. The officials, however, said that the people should not hesitate to get tested if they find any symptoms. The fever test which is now on in many divisions has shown that about 20 to 25 houses were reporting cases of fever and some of them tested positive. All those who tested positive were asked to stay in home isolation. However, the exact data is not being shared by the authorities.