COVID-19 cases in Telangana surged once again on Sunday with 21 people testing positive, taking the state's tally to 1,082. The Greater Hyderabad region alone accounted for 20 cases. The other case was reported from Jagtial.
Most of the cases on Sunday were reported from Vanasthalipuram under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) after nine members from three families tested positive in the area.
The sudden spike forced authorities to form eight containment zones in various colonies in Vanasthalipuram. As many as 169 families in these zones have been kept under home quarantine.
Police have sealed the entry and exit routes of the colonies and erected barricades. GHMC officials said that no outsider would be allowed. The residents have also been asked to remain indoors and not to step out.
Local MLA Sudheer Reddy said all markets and shops in these colonies were ordered to close down. He sought the public's cooperation in strict implementation of containment norms to check the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the state remained at 29 as no deaths were reported on Sunday.
The day also saw 46 people being discharged from hospitals on their recovery. With this, the number of people cured/discharged rose to 545, the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare said. The number of active cases in the state is now at 508.
GHMC accounts for more than 50 percent of the total cases recorded in the state, and remains a big worry for the state government. GHMC continued to report new cases even as most of the districts are showing no cases. For the fourth day in a row, almost all new cases were from the state capital.
Out of 33 districts in the states, three districts have not reported a single case so far while 17 districts have not recorded any positive case for the last 14 days.
Meanwhile, strict enforcement of lockdown continued across the state. The lockdown is ending on May 7 and it is likely to be extended for another two weeks.
A final decision is expected on May 5 when the state cabinet will meet to take stock of the situation.
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IANS inputs