Covid cases surge in Suryapet, Telangana officials rush to take stock

Hyderabad: Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M Mahendar Reddy and other senior officials on Wednesday visited Suryapet district to assess the situation following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The officials, who flew to Suryapet, about 135 km from Hyderabad, visited the containment zone at a vegetable market, and later held a meeting with officers of various departments at the district collector's office.

Somesh Kumar said they have come to discuss further course of action in the district where 83 cases had been reported.

He said the administration has been strengthened in the district with the appointment of an IAS officer as a special officer and an officer from the municipal administration department being deployed to join the containment measures, besides strengthening the health department.

He suggested strict implementation of guidelines in 'containment zones' (where positive cases are reported) and tracing the contacts of positive cases to check the spread of the virus.

"Because of all these, we are confident that we can control the situation and there will be no further growth (in cases).

As things look, there will be stability in a couple of days.There is no need to fear," Kumar said.

Most of the people among the 83 cases are asymptomatic, he said.

The DGP said all government departments should work as a team to contain the virus in the district.

According to official sources, with one person being discharged, the number of active cases in the district stood at 82.

The sources said 12 containment zones have been put in place in the region.

Suryapet district saw a sudden spike in cases yesterday, with 26 cases being reported.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday asked the chief secretary, DGP and other senior officials to visit different districts in the state to monitor how the measures initiated to contain the spread of COVID-19 are being implemented.