TS buys 15L Covid booster doses

Hyderabad: The Covid-19 situation in Telangana remains under control, say the health officials. The statistics of last one week show that the daily count of cases remained fluctuating between 20 and 30, like in the month of March.

On April 7, the state logged 29 new cases. According to director of public health and family welfare, a total of 5,029 samples were tested. The day also saw 21 recoveries. The recovery rate stood at 99.49 per cent. No new cases of death were reported. A total of 154 Covid cases are under treatment/isolation, said the director of public health.

On April 6, the state had reported 21 new cases while the number was 26 a day before. Majority of 33 districts are reporting zero or one case every day. However, for the first time in recent months, a residential school reported 15 cases. Students of tribal welfare boys’ residential school in Mahabubabad district tested positive for Covid-19. Health officials said this was an isolated incident and there was nothing to panic.

The highest daily count of 54 in the last couple of months was recorded on March 15. The numbers kept fluctuating between 15 and 40 during March.

Health Minister T Harish Rao appealed to people not to panic but to be on the alert and follow appropriate behaviour to counter the rise of positive infections. He said all eligible people must get vaccinated with booster Covid vaccines in government hospitals.

The state government also wrote to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to provide additional Covid booster shots for the state. With the Centre asking the states to directly procure Covid vaccines and booster shots from the open market, the Telangana government decided to procure 15 lakh doses from Hyderabad-based Biological E to resume vaccination.