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COVID-19: Telangana’s hope turns into despair in 24 hours

Mounting cases from Jamaat Markaz has changed the scenario in the state
Last Updated 01 April 2020, 14:25 IST

To the delight of about four crore Telangana people, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had on Sunday evening announced that the state could be COVID-19 free by April 7.

The end of April first week is when the 14-day quarantine of about 26 thousand foreign returnees ends. “If no new cases are reported from now, there will be no Coronavirus patients in the state by then,” Rao said while cautioning everyone to show restraint and not move outside in the lockdown period.

The live telecast of the CM press conference brought a much-required cheer to most of the people staying put in front of their living room TV sets.

But within 24 hours, Rao’s office sent out a statement saying that six persons who returned from the Delhi Jamaat as dead because of COVID-19 and that officials are tracing thousands who might have attended the same religious meet.

The news stunned Telanganites looking for an early break-out from Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown till mid-April.

As on Wednesday evening, Telangana has reported a total of 97 cases, including six deaths and 14 discharged from hospitals.

With the mounting cases connected to Nizamuddin Markaz indicating at a protracted war ahead with the virus while suffering a huge revenue loss; Rao’s government even decided to cut government salaries.

While the daily wage earners are the worst sufferers, many middle and lower-middle-class employees in the private sector are worried about the impact on their jobs and salaries, a possible extension of public movement restrictions could have.

“I am not able to do any business since I cannot move and clients are also unwilling to meet because of the COVID-19 fears,” said Suresh Babu, a marketing executive. “Targets not met would show impact, sooner or later,” he said. Ravi Kumar, a bank employee also expressed similar anxieties.

Many of Hyderabad’s IT sector employees are at ease, for now, availing the work from home option given till 14 April.

Some homemakers though are griping about the annoyance at home with kids and husbands staying indoors all the time.

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(Published 01 April 2020, 14:17 IST)

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