Hyderabad sees 1,005 Covid-19 cases, on course for new record: Experts

HYDERABAD: Days after the government announced that Greater Hyderabad was the epicentre of the second coronavirus wave in the state, the caseload in the city touched 1,005 in the last 24 hours.
This is the second time that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) recorded more than 1000 daily cases eve since the pandemic broke in March 2020. During the first wave, GHMC had highest number of 1,658 cases on July 4.

Experts warn that the situation could become more dangerous this year. After the peak in July last year, cases saw a quick dip with the highest number of cases a day around 500 in August. This year, however, they feel cases might even cross 2,000-mark in GHMC limits. In fact, that cases have doubled in just one week in GHMC.
“It is not surprising that GHMC is showing an increase in cases in the second wave. There is huge density of population here. Crowds can be seen gathered without any Covid protocol — like wearing masks and social distancing. This is only compounding the problem. A further increase will put more pressure on the hospital infrastructure. Covid-appropriate behavior is crucial at this time of crisis. The only good news is that the recovery rate is still high and vaccine coverage is increasing,” said Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, professor and director, Centre for Health Care Management Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).
In spite of increasing cases, the number micro-containment zones have come down from 70 to 52 in GHMC in last 24 hours. If a building has five cases, it is considered a ‘house cluster’ and if an area has more than five to 10 cases it is a ‘micro-containment’ zone. However, no barricades are being set up at the containment zones.