India News | COVID-19 Mortality Rate Less Than One Per Cent in Telangana: Officials
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Asserting that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Telangana was less than one per cent, a senior state health official on Thursday said people need not fear the virus and should continue to take all safety precautions.
Hyderabad, Jul 23 (PTI) Asserting that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Telangana was less than one per cent, a senior state health official on Thursday said people need not fear the virus and should continue to take all safety precautions.
Speaking to reporters here, state Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao said, "A look at the situation in all other states in the country shows that Telangana is much better. I am saying this strongly because the mortality rate in our state so far is .88 per cent. That means, it is less than one per cent.
Mortality rate in the country on average is 2.5 per cent..."
The one per cent of the deceased include old people and those with comorbidities, he noted.
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Observing that 3.08 lakh tests, including RTPCR and rapid antigen, had been conducted till Wednesday, he said the tally of positive cases stood at 49,259 while 37,666 have recovered.
Noting that two lakh rapid antigen kits obtained earlier by the state government have almost been used, the official said another two lakh are likely to be procured.
About 15,000 tests are being conducted daily at present and all arrangements have been made to increase the number to 20,000 and even 25,000, if necessary.
Claiming that testing facilities havebeen taken closer to people, he said the rapid antigen tests are conducted in PHCs in rural areas and also other hospitals, and 290 centres in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
As adequate beds are available in government hospitals, people need not waste their time and money by visiting private hospitals, he added.
Claiming that only three-five per cent of patients suffer from serious problems that too elderly people and those with comorbidities, he said public need not have unnecessary apprehensions over COVID-19.
Rao appealed to the people to take precautions like wearing a mask before stepping out, maintaining physical distance and hand-washing as the next four-five weeks would be crucial for the state.
Stressing the need for early identification and early treatment, he said, "this virus is spreading in the community. It is not visible... This virus is not visible to the eye."
While personnel of health, police and municipal administration are working in the frontline risking their lives, people should also take precautions to check the virus, he said.
On allegations of rain water entering the state-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH), state Director of Medical Education (DME) Ramesh Reddy said following recent rains, flooding occurred in the hospital as stormwater drain underneath the building got clogged.
This resulted in a sudden gush of water, but the problem has been rectified, he said.
The old building of the hospital has been shut and the patients have been relocated to the new facility created by the government.
To a query on allegations of beds being shared and distance not being maintained in hospitals, Reddy said there are adequate beds and distance between them is maintained as per the norms.
On a video purportedly showing about 50 bodies of COVID- 19 patients being cremated at a time, he said it was done due to shortage of staff to transport them.
The issue had been sorted out and there is nothing to hide, he said.
Reacting to reports of overcharging for funerals of COVID-19 patients, he said any complaints in this connection should be brought to the notice of the government.
There are no charges for cremation of bodies, he said.
Asked whether treatment for COVID-19 would be included in the state government's Arogya Sri health scheme, Rao sought to know why it should be included when the government has made elaborate arrangements for the treatment of patients.
Out of 49,000 cases, 45,000 have been treated either in home isolation or in government hospitals, he said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)