Over 2.6 lakh show ‘flu-like’ symptoms across Telangana

HYDERABAD: The week-long fever survey across Telangana has revealed that lakhs of people currently have ‘flu-like’ symptoms similar to Covid-19. At a press meet held in the city on Thursday, Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivas Rao said that the Health Department had distributed over 2.60 lakh home isolation kits with necessary medication to all those who exhibited flu-like symptoms. While the exact number of symptomatic individuals was not given, the number of isolation kits given indicates that it is likely over 2 lakh. 

“We have done Covid OPD in all government hospitals, where around 5.05 lakh individuals were screened. Around 1.07 lakh home isolation kits were also distributed. Apart from this approach, we sent nearly 24,885 teams to 70 lakh households and distributed another 1.59 lakh kits. On the whole, 2.60 lakh kits have been distributed after the survey covered 70-75 per cent households,” said the Rao. 

He further said that while a majority were symptomatic, some took the kits as a precaution. “It is not necessary that all these individuals are Covid-19 positive. At any given point in time, about 0.5-1 per cent of the general population has flu-like symptoms. Whatever the case, the medicines will ensure that their condition does not turn severe,” he said.

The Director also said that the approach would soon bear fruit as early detection would ensure fewer hospitalisations. “Testing individuals will merely waste time now and instead we are giving basic drugs to treat patients at home,” he said.