Hyderabad: Old City shows dip in Covid cases, thanks to lockdown

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

According to GHMC, Puranapul, Begum Bazaar, Shalibanda, Saidabad, Moghalpura, Musarambagh, Golkonda, Mehdipatnam and Langar House have reported large number of positive cases before the lockdown. However amid the ongoing Covid-induced lockdown the cases have come down.

Claiming that the people in Old City are following safety norms, Special Medical Officer P Jaipal Similarly said that earlier before lockdown Hafiz Baba Nagar division reported around 15-20 and nor amid the ongoing lockdown cases have reduced to 10 each day.

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

During Ramzan from April 14 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 social media claiming that people who consumed Haleem and dry fruits during festival season are free from Covid infection. "Do not believe all that you see on social media," the officials said.

He however said that people should not hesitate to get tested if they find any symptoms of Covid-19. 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 yet.