Two days after recording low number of COVID-19 cases because of low number of tests, the cases in Telangana increased on Monday. On August 17, out of the 19,579 samples tested, 1,682 were detected with coronavirus and results of 560 are awaited. On August 16, only 894 cases were detected as only 8,794 tests were performed, which was lowest in the past one month.
The new 1,682 cases include 235 from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), 166 from Rangareddy,107 from Warangal urban, 106 from Medchal-Malkajgiri, 88 from Karimnagar district. Eight more persons died taking the toll to 711.
On August 8, senior officials from the State Health department estimated that the COVID-19 cases will come down to minimum in GHMC by end of the month. So far, the number of cases are gradually declining thus moving towards this estimation. However, experts have cautioned about a second wave of the infectious disease.
The COVID-19 positive cases continue to increase in other districts. With this, more people in need of medical attention are being allotted oxygen and ICU beds in government hospitals. Around 90% to 100% ICU beds were occupied in District Hospitals at Gadwal, Nagarkurnool and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Warangal on Monday. The 500 ICU beds at Gandhi Hospital too were occupied.
On the whole, 3,415 oxygen beds and 451 ICU beds were available at the State government hospitals. In case of private hospitals, 1,463 oxygen beds and 713 ICU beds were available on Monday. A total of 93,937 cases were recorded till August 17. Of them, 21,024 are active cases, 72,202 have recovered, and 711 have died.