Fewer cases in Telangana may mean Covid is weakening

HYDERABAD: Covid-19 cases in Telangana are seeing a downward spiral with cases dropping by 33 per cent in the last seven days as compared to the 7-day period before that. Between January 12 to 19, the State reported 1,967 cases while between January 20 to 26, 1,314 cases were reported.This is especially visible in certain districts where the caseload has been below 10 over the last seven days. For instance, in the last seven days only three cases were reported in Jogulamba Gadwal district, four in Narayanpet and eight in Kamareddy. Several other districts are also reporting single-digit case loads in the last seven days.

However, during the same phase, the number of tests conducted by the State has also lowered. It appears that citizens have also stopped getting RT-PCR tests done at private lab, despite reduced costs of just `500.
Experts note that while it can’t be said that the pandemic is over in those districts that are seeing a drastic fall in caseload, it could instead be an indication that the virus is turning into an epidemic. 

“The ongoing reduction in caseload shows that the virus is weakening and is turning slowly into an epidemic disease like swine flu, which resurfaces at specific times. While we can’t say the pandemic is over, but its impact is lowering,” said a senior official from the Public Health Department of Telangana.

Meanwhile, Telangana detected 189 new Covid cases, 349 recoveries and two death, after conducting 29,449 tests, on Monday. With this, the State’s active case tally dropped to 3,072 and toll increased to 1,592. Most cases were reported from GHMC limits (38) cases, Rangareddy (12) and Medchal (11).