Telangana faces crucial fight in 3rd stage of Covid saga

Hyderabad: Telangana is bracing for its third challenge in its efforts to combat Covid-19. First it had to scan all foreign returnees, then came the Tablighi Jamaat episode and now after easing of lockdown restrictions across the country, the State is facing its third challenge in the form of migrants returning from other States and also from abroad.

In a span of less than a week, 11 migrant labour have tested positive and all of them have come from Maharashtra. While eight of them hail from Yadadri-Bhongir district, three have roots in Mancherial.

Yadadri-Bhongir that has maintained a zero case record until now is in the news with migrants testing positive.

Although, these cases are not being shown in the district list as they returned from a neighbouring state, Yadadri administration has a big job on hand to keep track of any infection spread among people from two villages-Pallerla and Jangaon where all the eight migrants went.

Same challenge lies for Mancherial district administration where three migrants from same family tested positive. They returned from Mumbai to Rapalli village in Hajipur mandal of the district.

Speaking about fresh developments, the health department officials agreed that in the form of migrants they are bracing for the third challenge in this Corona pandemic.

"As of now many Telangana natives who have gone for a living in states like Maharashtra and Rajasthan are keen on returning to their native districts.

As these states are the most affected, people who are coming from those places are testing positive. With more people set to return in the coming days migrants positive figure which is at eleven is likely to go up," the official said.

Already, instructions have been given to all DMHOs and field teams and sarpanches in villages to immediately alert health authorities if they notice return of migrants so that their health condition is tracked every day by placing them in quarantine and taking up sample testing if symptoms are observed.

A big batch of migrants is reaching Telangana from Mumbai in special buses arranged by Health Minister Eatala Rajender.

Telugus returning from abroad are also being put under scanner.

If keeping track of migrants returning from various states is keeping health authorities preoccupied, they also have to keep a tab on the health condition of Telugus returning from abroad via Vande Bharat Mission.

The Centre has arranged seven flights to bring Telugu natives, out of which three have already landed in Shamshabad airport. They will be put under quarantine for 14 days.