Total COVID-19 positive cases in Telangana touch 59: CM KCR

As many as 10 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Telangana taking the total count to 59, said chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in a press conference on Friday.

While a person was discharged from the hospital, around 20,000 people were put on quarantine, said the chief minister. "The state would have faced the worst situation if the centre had not announced the lockdown. To curb the spread of COVID-19, the only weapon we have is social distancing," said KCR.

He further said that the quarantine centre at Gachibowli stadium will be opened within a few centres and necessary changes will be made to the quarantine centre at King Koti hospital.

Around 500 ventilators have been ordered to tackle the situation and the government is gearing up to accord treatment if 60,000 patients are joined at a time. At present, the state has the capacity to put 11,000 people in isolation wards and 1,400 people in ICU. Around 12,400 people can be given treatment at a time, said the chief minister.

The government will also appoint 14,000 retired doctors and other medical staff, said KCR.