Hyderabad: With a declaration that Telangana reported 10 more positive cases of novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the total positive cases to 59, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday announced that the state has augmented its capability to handle Covid-19 positive cases by increasing Intensive Care Units (ICU) and quarantine facilities in Hyderabad.
While addressing a press conference at Pragati Bhavan, Chandrasekhar Rao said that his government was “fully geared to meet any eventuality” arising out of the spread of coronavirus in the state.
He declared that the state government has kept 1,400 beds prepared as part of an Intensive Care Unit readied at Gachibowli stadium to tackle any eventuality after the state touched a single-day high of 10 positive cases for the first time since the crisis began.
The chief minister said that Telangana has now augmented its capability to handle over 60,000 Covid positive cases simultaneously. Chandrasekhar Rao disclosed that he had discussed the issue over phone with prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning, in which Modi had assured the state of all possible help.
Explaining the steps taken for gearing up the official machinery to tackle any kind of eventuality, he said the State has prepared a finalised pool of 11,000 healthcare professionals to be pressed into service.
Retired doctors and fresh medical graduates in the state will be requested to help Telangana fight coronavirus. The government has made arrangements to create facilities at isolation centres and quarantine facilities to handle as many as 11,000 people are suspected to have contracted the virus, he added.
He said that as of now, nearly 20,000 people have been under surveillance either in voluntary home quarantine or at government-run isolation centres.
Asserting that the only way to contain the spread of coronavirus is social distancing and maintaining hygiene, he appealed to people to follow strict self-discipline and abandon the attitude of “nothing-will-happen-to-us”.
The state government is prepared for any eventuality, even if it is a full-blown situation, Mr Rao said. All efforts by the government would, however, be futile if people do not cooperate, he said.
The threat of further import of the virus from foreign returnees has now been nullified with cancellation of international flights, he said.
“Now it is time to be cautious and contain the spread of virus through local contacts. From the government's side, we are making all arrangements. But people should complement the government's efforts by staying indoors, maintaining social distancing and avoid gathering in groups.”
He pointed out that any deviation from these norms would only distract and divert much needed government focus and effort to “avoidable exercises”.
