HYDERABAD: State health authorities have stepped up vigilance along Maharashtra and Karnataka borders in the wake of increased
Covid-19 cases, even as sealing of borders is not being planned for now.
On Wednesday, surveillance teams were rushed to Varni in Nizamabad after 200 families were traced after having come from a Covid outbreak area in Maharashtra. “The families had come a week ago. Vigilance and medical health teams were sent to Varni to check if any of the travellers had Covid symptoms. As of now there is no confirmation if any of the travellers have Covid or not. Aggressive surveillance and tracing has begun,” said a source from the state health department.
In fact, special focus is being placed on Nizamabad where a large number of travellers are descending for upcoming religious festivities. With 213 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday (as per data of central health ministry) and 35,000 tests in the state, a majority of which were antigen, Telangana might be becoming complacent in surveillance, fear experts. They stress on the need for increasing RT-PCR tests so that any surge is not missed.
“We should not lower our guard especially as we share borders with states where there is a surge in cases seen now. There is a possibility that it will have an impact here too. The onus for increased testing is not just on the government but also on the people as rates have reduced drastically. Anyone with symptoms should get themselves tested,” said Prof Subodh Kandamuthan, Director Centre for Healthcare Management, Administrative Staff College of India.
It has also been suggested that genetic analysis of variants should be taken up. “We need to be careful about circulating variants rather than cases itself. We need to increase genome sequencing at five per 100 against one per 2,000 now as advised by the Centre,” said Dr Kiran Madala, in-charge head of department of critical care and anaesthesia, Nizamabad Medical College.