The raging second wave of COVID-19 has put senior officials in Telangana Health department on high alert. Discussions about the ‘grave’ situation are under way and preparations to attend more cases are being made, even as there are clear signs of officials dreading that the situation may go from bad to worse.
On April 3, Health Minister Eatala Rajender said the department would resume providing COVID-19 treatment at all the government hospitals where the services were provided last year. Besides, he has directed officials to make available five hospitals in Hyderabad to treat and quarantine COVID patients.
Corporate hospital managements have also been advised to reserve 50% of beds for COVID-19 patients, and to open COVID Care Centres at hotels to accommodate mild cases. All these steps indicate that the officials are preparing themselves to deal with an unprecedented spike in case burden.
From a maximum of 370 daily cases from March 1 to 9, it has increased by more than four times by April 5 as the State recorded 1,498 new infections on Monday. Officials predict that the surge would continue as people take part in mass gatherings such as functions and assembling at religious places.
Officials are closely monitoring clusters of cases which continue to be reported from some parts of the State.
Even as the caseload increases, people do not seem to be paying heed to safety norms like wearing masks and practising social distancing, and precautions such as avoiding mass gatherings. In such a scenario, the Health officials are aiming to contain the spread by vaccinating maximum number of eligible beneficiaries.
