Telangana’s claim of flattening corona curve doesn’t hold water

Has Telangana managed to flatten the corona curve? Less number of cases have been recorded in the last four days. The number of Covid-19 positive cases recorded on April 25 has been restricted to seven. On 24 April, the state recorded 13 cases and it has seen less than 20 cases in the last four consecutive days. Most of these cases are reported from Hyderabad alone. The rural areas in Telangana report negligible cases. The central team, which has been inspecting many containment centres and Covid-19 hospitals, has expressed satisfaction over the measures the state government has taken. The picture in the state looks rosy, but the fact is the government is currently testing few corona suspects. It has even stopped testing the second contacts of the corona-positive persons.

The total tests for the last one month have not even crossed the 15,000 mark. Almost one thousand people out of them tested positive. Many states have tested more than 30,000 suspects. A source in the health department said that the government is trying to hide facts, and there are more than 1,300 Covid-positive patients in Telangana. Even if there is a strict lockdown in the state, there are thousands of people on the roads and in markets. The Sunday non-vegetarian markets are filled with people. The government itself gives permission to people from 6 am to 7 pm to buy essential items within 3 km from their respective homes. This 3-km rule is largely violated.

When The Daily Guardian contacted state BJP president Bandi Sanjay, he questioned the government and said it “should test all the suspects and the people in home quarantine as well”. He added, “Then only the truth will come out. It’s shameless that this government has stopped testing the second contacts. The government is doing minority appeasement politics.” Congress leader Marri Sesidhar Reddy, too, questioned the government. “Why did this government not buy any testing kits like Andhra Pradesh? The CM of Telangana is not taking care of the situation seriously. The government should conduct the tests on a large scale.” Next to Hyderabad, Suryapet is the worst-affected place for Covid-19. Due to one shopkeeper of Suryapet coronavirus spread to almost 80 people in the area. So, the market places in Hyderabad could be potential Covid centres. The curve is still not flattened.