Six deaths, 94 fresh COVID-19 cases in T'gana

Hyderabad, Jun 1 () Six more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Telangana, pushing the death toll to 88, while 94 fresh cases were reported on Monday, taking the tally of infections to 2,792, even as Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed concern over the spike in cases.

All the 94 cases were from different districts, with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation accounting for 79 of them, the health department said in a bulletin. The GHMC area has been the hotbed of COVID-19 cases in Telangana.

No fresh positive case was found among migrants, deportees and foreign returnees on Monday, the bulletin said. As of date, 434 of them have tested positive.

A total of 1,491 people have been discharged so far after recovery, while 1,213 are under treatment.

The bulletin said there has been a surge of cases since lockdown restrictions were eased on May 16 as some people were not following basic preventive measures like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

It also said that the Centre has airlifted 458 deportees, who have been quarantined in government quarantine centres.

Till date, 212 deportees have tested positive for COVID-19 and they are being treated, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, in the first case of a political leader from Telangana testing positive for COVID-19, a BJP leader in the state, a former MLA, was found to be infected with the virus, party sources said.

The BJP leader reported to a private hospital with symptoms of the virus on Sunday and his test results showed him to be positive for the infection, they said.

He is undergoing treatment in the hospital, the sources said, adding that his family members have also been quarantined.

With 199 COVID-19 cases reported in Telangana on May 31, reportedly the highest single day surge, Governor Tamilisai Soundarararjan on Monday expressed worry over the sharp rise in cases, in spite of the ongoing efforts and called for stepping up the fight against the infectious disease. She, however, said there was no need to panic over the single day surge, but felt that it is a warning to be cautious and careful.

"Worried about surge in Corona positive cases in #Telengana state inspite of efforts in existence.

Single day''s largest jump of 199 cases 2 PG medicos & other front line warriors including police warrants United aggressive #fightagainstcorona Stepping up #COVID fights is needed," Soundararajan tweeted. SJR APR RAVINDRANATH APR RAVINDRANATH