Coronavirus fears fade in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: After the samples of two suspects tested negative for Coronavirus, residents of Hyderabad heaved a sigh of relief. Some schools which were closed in the wake virus scare at Mahendra Hills in Secunderabad, began working on Friday with precautions in place while a few schools remained closed.
“I learned that COVID-19 is not airborne. So I don’t have to wear a mask all the time. I also learned that I have to maintain distance from people who are showing symptoms of flu. I should likewise maintain personal hygiene, and that is all,” said Poojitha, a resident of Vyjanti Colony in Mahendra Hills.

On Friday, colleges and universities in the twin cities, including Loyola Academy in Secunderabad and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTUH) conducted a public awareness drive in front of their campuses on respiratory hygiene and sanitation. Professors and students during a COVID-19 awareness drive urged people not to believe in rumours and misinformation spread on social media but to take safety precautions.

“About 600 cases were tested so far, of which only one came positive. It is indeed a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, considering the infectious nature of the virus, the government is taking the right measures of prevention,” said Fever Hospital Superintendent Dr K Shankar.

“We have formed small and multiple teams, who are being trained to educate the public on Coronavirus and about precautionary measures to be taken to prevent the possibility of virus spreading,” said Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender.

Even Google search for the term Coronavirus, which has come down after March 5, has further declined on March 6. On March 4, when the news of a techie with borderline symptoms surfaced on the internet, ‘DSM Hyderabad’ was the most searched term on Google India.

According to Google trends statistics, the search results for Coronavirus from Telangana region which showed an eight-fold increase on March 4 dropped drastically thereafter.