Containing Covid in GHMC a big challenge for Telangana government

Hyderabad: Combating Covid-19 cases in the GHMC limits is proving to be a big challenge for the Telangana government as a majority of positive cases being reported every day are from this region only.

All the three districts under GHMC limits - Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri -- have featured in the list of six Red Zone districts declared by the Centre in the state.

New areas, that were not on government's radar so far like Malakpet Gunj, Vanasthalipuram, Saroornagar, Karmanghat, Amberpet, Kavadiguda, Somajiguda, Ram Koti and Jiyaguda have reported infections last week thus sending officials into a tizzy and forcing them to bring certain places in those areas into the list of containment zones.

So far, the GHMC region has reported 631 positive cases out of the total 1082 cases registered in the state until May 3, a very high 58 percent of state's total figure. Even the deaths are the highest here with the casualties touching 25.

It is no wonder Hyderabad figured in the most-affected 27 districts in the country with a large outbreak of positive cases.

After assessing the prevailing situation, the Centre is sending a two-member team again to take stock of the situation in the GHMC limits.

Dr Jayant Das, Professor and Dr Deepayan Banerjee from the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, would be arriving soon, according to Anuradha Medoju, Regional Director of the Union Health Ministry, looking after the affairs in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

She said that both of them are public health specialists and would be sharing their knowledge and expertise with the state Health department and GHMC officials.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had earlier directed Health Minister Eatala Rajender, CS Somesh Kumar and DGP Mahender Reddy to evolve a strategy for containing the cases and ensuring strict compliance of orders in the containment zones.

The Health Minister even stated that special officers are likely to be appointed for containing the situation in GHMC limits just like they did in case of Suryapet, Vikarabad and Gadwal districts to coordinate with the district administration.