Four more test positive in TL: total cases now 45

Four more people, including a doctor couple, tested positive for COVID-19 in Telangana on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 45, even as the government initiated steps to contain spread of the virus.

Those tested positive are a 49-year old male resident of Qutbullapur in Medchal district, a 36-year-old doctor and her 41-year-old husband, also a doctor, and a 45-year-old man, resident of Secunderabad, a medical bulletin on COVID-19 said.

It said the four had not travelled to any foreign country, while all the 45 confirmed cases had a history of travel or contact with suspected or confirmed cases.

"There is no evidence of community transmission", it said.

The Quubullapur resident, who had travelled to Delhi, was now in stable condition and has been admitted at the designated hospital, it said.

The male doctor's mother had tested negative, while reports of his father and two children were awaited, it said.

A COVID application has been developed to facilitate online capture of live data of persons under surveillance, who are being monitored at their houses on a daily basis by frontline workers, it added.

State Health Minister E Rajender said both docctors, working in a super specialty hospital in the city and it was found that they recently toured several places in the country adding We are examining all the persons who came in contact with the doctor couple.

Both the patients are stable and have been admitted at the designated hospital, the bulletin said.

Rajender held a review meeting with health officials on the measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in case it reaches the third stage in the state.

As of now, the virus is in second stage in Telangana.

As on March 26 afternoon, there are 45 COVID-19 cases in Telangana. While one has been discharged after treatment the others are recuperating, he said in an official release.

He instructed the officials to convert the state-run Gandhi Hospital as full-fledged coronavirus hospital.

He also ordered that health department officials not be granted permission to go on leave.

Rajender said the Health Ministry had lauded the steps being taken by the Telangana government to contain the spread of the virus.

He requested Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, through video conferencing, to allow city-based Public Sector Units like DRDO, BDL and ECIL to manufacture personal protect equipment, ventilators and ICU instruments.

The Minister requested the Centre to ensure that the movement of medical equipment and other essential items across state borders be hassle-free.

He sought supply of N-95 masks, personal protect equipment and ventilators from the Centre.

Meanwhile, another official release said several business houses had contributed to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund.

City-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) announced a donation of Rs 5 crore to the CMRF.