In an attempt to assuage people's fears after a person tested positive for the new coronavirus in Hyderabad, the state government said on Tuesday that it is fully prepared to handle the situation.
Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender said that a budget of Rs 100 crore has been allotted for the same. In addition to the existing three hospitals, two more -- military hospital, TB sanitorium Vikarabad -- have been instructed to set up isolation wards, he said.
A team of 15 people from the state health department will travel to Kerala for two days to study the measures taken by the government there.
Currently, the state has about 300 beds across isolation wards in three hospitals. The government plans to increase the number of beds to 3000, of which 2000 beds would be brought in from private teaching institutions.
Fear gripped the city, after a 24-year-old techie tested positive for the virus and has been kept in the isolation ward in state-run Gandhi hospital. The condition of the patient is stable and is under constant observation.
The affected person was working with a Bengaluru-based software company. Last month, he had travelled to Dubai for an official trip where he had worked with colleagues from Hong Kong, which the officials believe could be the reason for contracting the virus.
About 88 people, who could have come in contact with the patient, were tracked down by the Telangana government. Of which, 45 of them have already been tested and reports are awaited.
“The rest 33 of them have also been contacted and tests will be done soon. We’re still tracking down more people who could have been in touch with the patient but for now the situation is under control and there’s nothing to worry. The high temperature in the state will be helpful in containing the virus,” Rajender said on Tuesday.
According to the health department, as of Tuesday, about 155 samples were tested and 118 were found negative and reports of about 36 people is awaited.
Following a cabinet sub-committee meeting on Tuesday, the health minister said that some teams will work on creating awareness. The administration plans to put up hoardings and ads in public places such as railway stations, bus stations and cinema halls.
Hyderabad Metro Rail Department has said that cleaning of metro stations, trains, escalators, hand-rails would be done as part of precautionary measures to stop the spread of coronavirus.
The minister had also asked people to wash their hands regularly, maintain hygiene, avoid shaking hands with each other and avoid crowded places.
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