HYDERABAD: With a sudden surge in daily Covid-19 cases, with most of them being reported from in and around the city, the Telangana health department reimposed the face mask and physical distancing rules. “Everybody should wear a mask when he/she goes out of the house. Facemasks are the first line of defence against Covid-19,” it said.
The daily Covid case count on Tuesday shot past the 400-mark to stand at 403, up from 246 on Monday. Tuesday’s reported Covid cases in Hyderabad district were 240, against 185 on Monday. Just a week ago, on June 15, the city reported just 132 cases, while state-wide the number of Covid victims was 205. A week before that, on June 9, Hyderabad reported 94 cases while there were 122 cases state-wide.
On Tuesday, the second-highest number of cases was reported from Ranga Reddy district, 103, up from 39 on June 15. The number of active Covid cases – the number of patients identified as suffering from Covid — that stood at 811 on June 9, rose to 2,375 on Tuesday, according to the daily Covid-19 bulletin issued by the state health authorities.
It is not just wearing of masks which “must be strictly followed” according to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare for Telangana, Dr G. Srinivasa Rao. In an advisory on Tuesday, he said physical distance should be followed and people must maintain a distance of at least six feet from each other while in public places.
He said, “As you are aware that for the last 15 days, Covid cases are on slight rise in India as well as in Telangana.” He, however, added an assurance saying: “The Telangana government is well-prepared to tackle any eventuality in the rise of Covid cases. It is important to complete vaccination by taking both doses and it is also equally important to take precautions against Covid.”
Also back in force is the Covid advice for children less than 10 years of age and elders over 60 years to avoid stepping out of their homes unless absolutely necessary. Dr Srinivasa Rao said, “There is a higher incidence of Covid in the age group of 20 to 50 years, hence people are requested to exercise precaution while going for work or essential activities.”
He also said there should be no delays in reporting to the nearest government health facility and seeking health services by anyone experiencing symptoms of the flu, fever, cough, sore throat, running nose, difficulty in breathing, body pains, or headaches. And people with co-morbid conditions, that is existing health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac illness, kidney, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer or any other chronic diseases, should stay at home and avoid all kinds of travel except to seek medical care.
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