In heartening news, the Telangana government plans to discharge at least 11 patients who were undergoing treatment for COVID-19 in the state, after they tested negative for the coronavirus.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) told a news conference on Sunday evening that 11 patients were tested negative in the final screening. "They are fine and will be discharged from hospitals tomorrow," he said.
The first positive case was reported on March 2 and he was discharged on March 13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to the man and the latter told him that he was looked after well in Gandhi Hospital.
With the discharge of 11 persons on Monday, 58 would remain under treatment in hospitals. The Chief Minister said that barring a 76-year-old man who also had other ailments, all other patients were stable.
KCR said that the number of people under surveillance stands at 25,937. The Chief Minister said with no arrivals from abroad, and with restrictions and lockdown, there were fewer chances of new cases.
Telangana on Sunday reported three new COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total to 70.
The state on Saturday reported its first death due to coronavirus while eight more persons tested positive, taking the total number to 67.
A 74-year-old man from Hyderabad became the first person to die of coronavirus in the state. The man, who recently returned from New Delhi, died at a private hospital but later examination of his body showed that he was positive for COVID-19, Health Minister Etela Rajender said at a news conference on Saturday.
He also revealed that four persons among the health personnel deployed at Hyderabad Airport for screening the patients were among those who tested positive on Saturday. A family member of one of the affected persons also contracted the virus.
The state had reported its first positive case on March 2. The patient was discharged two weeks later.