Telangana reports 3 more COVID-19 positive cases; state tally at 16

Telangana has reported three more positive case of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the total tally in the state to 16.

P14 travelled from Dubai to Hyderabad on March 14 and developed symptoms on March 17. "He was immediately isolated and tested for COVID-19 while his contacts were traced and put under home quarantine. Passenger details of the flight he travelled are also being collected," health officials said in the Thursday evening bulletin.

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Late on Thursday night, another bulletin was released about two more cases. P15 travelled from London to Hyderabad via Dubai on March 18 while P16 also travelled from London to Hyderabad (date was not listed).

The state government has announced setting up of 18 check-posts at the various road entry points into the state from Karnataka, Maharashtra Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh to screen passengers for COVID-19.

Official machinery would identify all the people who have come from abroad from March 1 for a medical check-up and house quarantine.

Health officials have been carrying out universal screening of international passengers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) and till date screened 71,256 passengers.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao chaired a high-level emergency meeting on Thursday for additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The continuous reporting of cases from the last six days, including eight Indonesian Islamic preachers in Karimnagar town, has alarmed the state government.

Devotees would not be allowed into religious places like temples, mosques, churches. Ugadi and Sriramanavami events are cancelled. Meanwhile, 10th Board exams, which commenced on Thursday would continue, with exam centres being thoroughly sanitised.

Rao has announced district-level committees with the Collector, SP and medical officer for COVID-19 surveillance. The chief minister has asked the Panchayats and municipalities also to take the responsibility of tracing people who returned from abroad.

Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy also held a high-level meeting and decided that all places of mass gathering would remain closed till March 31 as a precautionary measure.

Andhra Pradesh’s Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said the chief minister would hold a video conference with all district collectors to monitor the situation from time to time. The state has so far confirmed only two positive COVID-19 cases.