A village in Telangana has been cordoned off to contain the spread of coronavirus after a 55-year-old who tested positive for COVID-19 died last week. At least 35 people in Chegur village near Shadnagar had earlier been quarantined as a result of the case. The village will be cordoned off for 14 days, strictly limiting those who can enter or leave.
The woman, who died on April 1, is said to have developed symptoms on March 28 and had been taken to a private hospital before she was admitted at Osmania General Hospital on March 31. The results of the coronavirus test came a day after her death.
State health authorities are on high alert and district authorities have stepped up containment and contact tracing measures in the village. The deceased woman had run a kirana shop owned by her family.
While officials have not yet declared the source of the infection, it had been earlier suspected that the woman had been infected by her tenants, four young people who had travelled aboard the Sampark Kranthi Express from Delhi in which people who had attended the Markaz event were also travelling. The woman did not have any domestic or international travel history.
Speaking to TNM, Dr Swarajya Lakshmi, Rangareddy District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), said, "Since we do not yet know the source of the infection, we have kept all contacts of the deceased person under isolation."
She further added, "Two family members and four tenants were kept in Rajendranagar quarantine. Their samples were sent for testing and the results will be known today."
According to DMHO, "relatives who attended the funerals were also in strict home quarantine."
District Collector Amoy Kumar told TNM, "The test results of the contacts are yet to come. The cordon-off restriction on the village will continue for 14 days."
In Telangana, out of 333 positive cases, over 75 cases have been reported from those who attended the Markaz religious event in Delhi or people in contact with them. According to DMHO, in Rangareddy, there were a total of 26 positive cases, while 14 are said to be from the Markaz event. Six people recovered before they were discharged and one death was reported.
Further details on the village’s containment protocol are expected to be released Monday evening.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Surendar noted, "The cordon-off is being continued. Any sort of public movement within the village and from outside the village is restricted, barring few very essential services."