TV5 journalist among 14 dead in Telangana as COVID-19 clouds get darker

Hyderabad: A 34-year-old journalist from Hyderabad was among 14 people who died of Covid-19 on Sunday, the Telangana health department said on Sunday. In all, 154 new cases were reported during the day, taking the total to 3,650. The toll rose to 137.

The deceased journalist, a reporter working for Telugu news channel TV5 was identified as D. Manoj. Chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao condoled the passing of the journalist even as some journalists unions and the state BJP demanded mandatory testing for Covid-19 for all media personnel.

Manoj suffered from serious co-morbidities including myasthenia gravis, a long-term muscular disease and bilateral pneumonia, Gandhi Hospital said. He was married just about a year ago and was looking forward to the birth of his first child, according to his colleagues.

The GHMC area continued to lead the number of new cases with 132 of the 154 reported on Sunday. Among those confirmed positive were 10 policemen from eight police stations and one from the City Armed Reserve headquarters.

The rest of the cases were reported from Ranga Reddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Yadadri-Bhongir, Siddipet, Karimangar, Mahbubabad, Sangareddy, and Nagarkurnool districts, according to the daily Covid-19 bulletin.

Health minister Etala Rajendar spoke on the telephone with more than 20 journalists who have tested positive. Most of them are asymptomatic and under home quarantine. He also inquired about the welfare of journalists admitted to Gandhi Hospital from the hospital authorities, according to a news release from his office.