Two more people died of coronavirus in Telangana on Saturday, taking the total death toll in the state to 14. The total positive cases of COVID-19 rose to 503 in the state as 16 new cases were reported on Saturday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao told a news conference.
He said that 51 people were discharged from hospitals on Saturday, taking the total count to 96. The number of active cases now stands at 393. KCR said that 243 containment areas were set up in the state, including 123 in the limits of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). He said since positive cases were reported from these areas, all efforts were being made to contain the virus.
He said that in the first phase, 34 foreign returnees and their contacts who were found positive had been discharged. Similarly, 25,937 people quarantined in the first phase were also discharged.
The second phase of cases began with those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi in March and their contacts. As many as 1,200 people were traced, which included those who attended the Markaz meeting and their family members and those who came in contact with them. Related to this, a total of 1,654 persons are under quarantine.
Stating that the number of new cases has come down in Telangana, he exuded confidence that by April 24 all people in the second batch would also be discharged from hospitals and those in quarantine would also return home.
The Telangana government on Saturday decided to extend the lockdown in the state till April 30. KCR told reporters that the state cabinet has decided to extend the lockdown as it felt that it was the only way to check the spread of COVID-19. He said that after April 30, the government may consider lifting the lockdown in phases.
He also announced that annual exams from Class 1 to Class 9 will not be conducted and all students would be promoted. He said that a decision on conducting the Class 10 exam would be taken soon.
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