HYDERABAD: City scientists and public health experts say it’s negligence and not a new variant that is causing a spurt in
Covid-19 cases in Hyderabad and parts of Telugu states. Covid-19 cases are likely to create a new record, if this carelessness among people continues, they warn.
Scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) clarify that so far, they have not come across a new variant in Hyderabad or in AP or
Telangana linked to the sudden spurt.
The variant, N440K, has been present for long in Telugu states, but it is not responsible for the increase in pandemic cases. The double variant has been found only in one or two cases so far in Telugu states. It is largely carelessness that is behind the rise, said Dr Rakesh K Mishra, director, CCMB.
Public health experts from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Hyderabad, too point out that there has been a lot of negligence in following the Covid-19 protocol by people and this is showing in terms of the increased numbers of positive cases. They suggest strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol.
The Covid-19 curve in Hyderabad had flattened in December 2020 if a municipal waste water surveillance study by the CCMB is any indication. But the cases began to increase as more people breached the protocol.
Prof GVS Murthy, director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, said the increase is due to multiple factors. “There is a sense of liberation in people’s perception that Covid-19 is no longer a threat and people have let their guard down. There is overcrowding in markets and other public places. There is increased transmission potential with some of the mutant strains which were first imported to Maharashtra and then spread right across the country," Dr Murthy said.
CCMB scientist Divya Tej Sowpaty said at present there is no clear evidence for a variant to be causing spikes everywhere. It is most probably because of people not following
Covid appropriate behaviour. Control measures would be to introduce restrictions, particularly on non-essential services.
Dr Vijay Kumar Chennamshetty, consultant interventional pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, said the thought among public that vaccine will completely protect them had led many to avoid masks and social distancing.
However, some experts did not rule out the possibility of a new strain. Dr A Laxmaiah, head, division of public health nutrition, NIN, told TOI that the reasons could be several including new variants with more virulence. "Non-compliance of non-pharmacological measures like not wearing masks always, not following social distance, not following frequent sanitization are also responsible," Dr Laxmaiah said.