Seven deaths, 872 new COVID-19 cases in T'gana

Telangana continued to witness a massive increase in COVID-19 cases on Monday with seven deaths and 872 new cases being reported, taking tally of infections in state to 8,674. Out of 872 fresh cases, 713 were reported from Greater Hyderab Municipal Corporation (GHMC), followed by Ranga Reddy district confirming 107 cases.

A state government bulletin said 4,005 people have been discharged so far, while 4,452 were under treatment. With 7 fresh deaths, toll in state rose to 217. On Monday, 3,189 samples were tested taking cumulative to 60,243.

state government has recently anunced that around 50,000 samples would be tested in Hyderab and its neighbouring districts as part of measures to check spre of virus. Against backdrop of sharp rise in cases, state Health Minister E Rajender, who held a meeting with medical and health officials, directed hospital at Gachibowli in city to become operational within a week.

facility at Gachibowli was asports centre, which has been transformed into a COVID-19 designated hospital by state government. He anunced that state government would step up its testing capacity in public sector labs to 6,600 tests per day. present per day capacity of 2,290 tests would be increased by 4,310.

Rajender said arrangements should be me for testing by identifying COVID-19 symptoms at level of Primary Health Centre (PHC) itself, an official release said. He asked private hospitals to be responsible in providing treatment to coronavirus patients and diagstic centres to conduct tests as per government rms. Stressing on need for improving functioning of call centres, minister suggested that people call '104' helpline in case of difficulty in accessing bed facility in hospitals and faced with or problems with regard to COVID- 19.

Appealing to people that each one of m should take precautions, minister said virus spre can be contained only with people's participation. Meanwhile, a 70-year old doctor died due to COVID-19 at a private hospital here, becoming first healthcare professional to succumb to dely virus in state, hospital sources said on Monday.

doctor, running a private clinic here for last 12 years, was mitted to hospital on June 17 and his end came on Sunday.