3rd corona case reported in Telangana State

Hyderabad: A 48-year-old person who returned from the Netherlands tested positive to Covid-19. This is the third such case in the state. He is being treated in an isolation ward at Gandhi Hospital.

Already, a 24-year old woman with travel history to Italy is undergoing treatment in Gandhi after testing positive on Saturday. The third positive case is understood to be a resident of the state capital.

In view of the experience in Mahendra Hills, Secunderabad, where neighbours castigated the victim's family and protested even to the opening of windows in the house of the infected patient, the Health department is treading cautiously as far as disclosing information regarding the infected patient is concerned.

It is learnt that this 42-year old person and even the 24-year-old medico maintained social distancing after their return from abroad and hence the number of primary contacts was just in single digits much to the relief of the Health department.

Meanwhile, in wake of experience of fresh two positive cases, where the foreign returned passengers were found to be asymptomatic in universal thermal screenings at the airport but developed symptoms after few days after reaching home, the Telangana government has written to the Centre asking permission to keep asymptomatic passengers returning or having recent travel history to the seven severely affected countries including China, Italy, Iran, etc, in its own isolation centres instead of sending them for home quarantine, which is the case now.

However, Centre's nod is awaited on this. The state government is learnt to have chosen the centres like SATS Quarters near Gachibowli, Dhulapally Forest Academy Quarters, etc, to keep asymptomatic passengers in isolation for 14 days.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Eatala Rajender held a telephonic conference with the Special Chief Secretary and other senior officials of the department from Assembly on Sunday evening.

He directed the authorities to increase surveillance in Shamshabad airport in view of two fresh positive cases reported in the state for consecutive two days.