Second wave of Covid-19 lurking, don’t lower guard: Experts

HYDERABAD: The number of Covid-19 cases in the state is expected to rise three-fold by the end of the year, a revised forecast by the think tank ASCI- FICCI- FTCCI has suggested. According to the forecast, Telangana might start adding 3,500 new cases per day while the death toll has been predicted to double-up.
The think tank also said that a second wave of infection might be round the corner, warning the state against lowering down its guard. As per the rank of performance in controlling the virus, ASCI- FICCI- FTCCI said that Telangana stands first among the southern states.
“As we are still in the middle of the Covid-19 health crisis and not over the hump yet, focus needs to be more on the cumulative active cases as opposed to cumulative positive cases. Given the upcoming festivals and the onset of winters, we need to be more cautious. However, there is no reason to panic,” said Dr Saswat Kishore Mishra, assistant professor at Centre for Heatlh Care Management of ASCI.
According to the joint report prepared by the think thank, the cumulative active cases would increase to 83,564 as per the current pace. Assuming that there comes an exponential spike, it would rise up to 91,868. Cumulative deaths, meanwhile, may scale up to 2,086, whereas the death per day are expected to reach 11 (from the present count of 8).
The report also laid stress on the need to take care of frontline workers and improve public health facilities. “We need to motivate and incentivize the nurses and para-medical staff by providing insurance coverage and increasing their salary by 35%. The government should also encourage final year medical studentsto work in tertiary care centres,” said Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, the director of Centre for Healthcare Management, ASCI. He also said that the government should bring Covid-19 treatment under the Aarogyasri scheme.