Third wave at Telangana threshold?

Hyderabad: Is the third wave knocking on the doors of the State? This suspicion arose since there is an increase in the number of positive cases in old Khammam, Nalgonda and border districts of Nizamabad and Adilabad. According to a report submitted by the official committee headed by Principal Secretary, Health, SAM Rizvi, the percentage of positive cases in Khammam district was above 10 per cent.

Following this, the committee has recommended to the government to impose restrictions on people's movement and gatherings at functions in these districts lest it could lead to outbreak of third wave. A decision in this regard would be taken at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The committee, which had visited the districts, observed that people ignoring the restrictions were attending functions and political rallies in large numbers. It said Sattupalli and Madira constituencies were more prone to outbreak of the corona virus. Many people from Andhra were also coming to these districts to participate in functions, the committee said. 

In old Nalgonda district, Nagarjuna Sagar, Miryalaguda, Nakrekal and Nalgonda assembly segments reported a sharp increase in the number of positive cases. The positivity rate in these segments was over 5 per cent whereas the State's overall positivity rate is less than 2 per cent.

Officials said that the official team instructed the district authorities to launch Testing, Tracing and Tracking (TTT) to check the fast spread of the deadly virus. The border districts of Nizamabad and Adilabad also witnessed growing number of corona cases as the government lifted all restrictions on the movement of people between Maharashtra and Telangana. The recent political rallies conducted by the parties and regular marriage functions in the urban areas could be the main reason for the sudden increase of cases in the last one week, the committee felt.