Second Covid wave looms over Telangana

State health officials cite Kerala’s experience in handling pandemic; warn people against lowering guard

Hyderabad: The declining number of Covid-19 positive cases in Telangana should not make people in Hyderabad and other parts of the State complacent. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is very much circulating within the community and the moment individuals let their guard down, Covid positive cases have the potential to increase again, paving the way for a second wave of infections, public health officials here warned.

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO), South East Asia, cautioned against relaxation of response from authorities, just because of the recent decline in the Covid-19 cases. The pandemic continues unabated and our response only needs to be strengthened further to curtail virus transmission, the WHO said.

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The State health officials on Sunday cited the experience of Kerala in handling the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “During the initial months of the epidemic, Kerala was successful in containing the spread of the coronavirus. However, after the Onam festival, cases have started to rise and on a daily basis nearly 10,000 cases are getting reported. Covid containment strategies won’t succeed unless public participates enthusiastically,” says Director of Public Health, TS, Dr G Srinivasa Rao.

Major European countries including United Kingdom, France, Germany and others are currently struggling with a second wave of Covid infections. On an average, the total number of Covid cases in UK is close to 17,000 cases per day. Similar is the situation in France and other countries in European Union, which are experiencing a second-wave of Covid-19 infections. In the entire Europe, on an average 1, 50,000 positive cases are getting reported in the last few days.

The WHO has also warned people on the importance of being cautious during festivals. “This festive season we must continue to take responsibility. There is a need to maintain physical distance, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and wear a mask when and where needed. People must remember the three Cs – avoid crowded places, avoid closed settings and avoid confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation,” the WHO said.

The co-circulation of seasonal influenza and Covid-19 in the winters may present challenges for health systems and health facilities, since both diseases present many similar symptoms. Many of the same measures that are effective in preventing Covid-19 are also effective for preventing influenza, including physical distancing, hand hygiene, covering coughs, ventilation and masks, WHO said.

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