Hyderabad lockdown news: Today's updates from your city

Amid prevalent chaos and uncertainty over access to the essential services and commodities during the lockdown, we bring you the latest updates from Hyderabad.
*Update at 10.50pm: A fresh death and 18 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Telangana on Thursday, taking the total positive cases in the state to 471, Health Minister E Rajender said. The death toll due to COVID-19 in the state rose to 12.
*Update at 10.10pm: Inmates of various COVID-19 quarantine centres in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh were on Thursday treated to dry fruits, fruits and eggs to "boost immunity." Cashewnuts, almonds, dates, pistachios, banana and oranges were part of the menu, along with a boiled egg, to each of the inmates.
*Update at 9.45pm: Two more COVID-19 deaths were reported in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, taking the toll to six so far, while 15 new cases were also reported during the day, making it an aggregate of 363.
*Update at 9pm: With all the Tablighi jamaat event returnees traced in Andhra Pradesh, the number of COVID-19 cases in the state was expected to come down after completion of testing of them and their primary contacts, the state government said on Thursday.
*Update at 8.30pm: Andhra Pradesh reports 15 fresh coronavirus cases, taking state's tally to 363.
*Update at 7.30pm: Students of Public Health of city-based University of Hyderabad (UoH) have been drafted in by the Telangana government to carry out epidemiological field work in various districts across the state as part of its containment strategy against the spread of COVID-19.
*Update at 6.50pm: 18 new coronavirus cases reported in Telangana, total touches 471. One more death registered.
*Update at 5.50pm: A disinfectant tunnel set up Bowenpally Agriculture Market in Secunderabad Cantonment.

*Update at 4.10pm: In a case of coronavirus-induced racism, two students from Manipur were allegedly denied entry into a supermarket here reportedly due to their facial appearance, police said on Thursday.
The private security guards, along with the store manager, were taken into custody for not letting the two do shopping, police said on Thursday.
*Update at 3.30pm: Amid the rapidly rising cases of coronavirus in India, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar on Thursday inspected the COVID-19 containment zone in Khairtabad in Telangana which was set up today. Kumar reviewed the situation at the containment zone, many of which have been set up in various parts of the country to curb the spread of COVID-19, by preventing the movement of the people in and out of their homes.
*Update at 2.58pm: A quarantine center in Vijayawada serves fruits, dry fruits, and eggs in a bid to boost the immune system of the occupants. (ANI)
* The Andhra Pradesh government has taken over 58 private hospitals across 13 districts in the state as part of the measures to contain Covid-19 spread. With administrative control over private hospitals, the government has made 19,114 beds available.
* The Department of Women Development and Child Welfare (DWDCW) on Wednesday dispatched 1.15 lakh protective masks, 35,700 sanitisers for protection of 64,000 Anganwadi workers.
*2:11pm Store manager and two security guards of a supermarket were taken into custody by the Rachakonda police after they denied entry to two men from the northeast in the Vanasthalipuram outlet on April 8. In what appears to be a case of racism, the duo – Angam Weapon, 24 and Kai Haokip, 22 from Manipur, were denied entry inside the supermarket to purchase groceries at 3pm on April 8.
*1:30pm TRS working president and CM KCR are ensuring that all major roads in Hyderabad whether BT or Cement are Re-laid ASAP now that there’s less/no traffic: Principal secretary urban, Telangana

*12:30pm "Immense gratitude for safeguarding our lives and the health of our families during these most challenging times !! Saluting your selfless dedication towards our country and it’s people," tweeted Mahesh Babu.

* The Telangana government is partnering with Micron India to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the state. The company on Wednesday announced that it is donating ₹7.5 crore towards fighting Covid-19 in India, most of which will be spent in Telangana since a majority of the company’s workforce is located in Hyderabad.
* The Telangana municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department on Wednesday issued additional guidelines on safe management of bodies of suspected and confirmed coronavirus cases.
* Keesara police on Wednesday arrested eleven workers and two building owners for violation of lockdown orders. Building owners Ragula Pentaiah (60), Samanthi Ramulu (63) along with 11 workers, were booked for involvement in the construction of two buildings. Police noticed the construction activity around 2 pm and on enquiry found that the accused don’t have any valid reason or requisite permission.
* The decision of airline operators to allow bookings for domestic travel post-April-15 has left many confused. Stranded in various parts of the country many are desperate to return home, but are not sure if the scheduled flights will take off. Most carriers are even offering international travel slots starting May 1.
* The 21-day lockdown announced by the Centre last month to check the spread of coronavirus has triggered a reverse exodus of sorts to rural areas. Many, who still have homes and ancestral property in the countryside, have packed their bags and left their homes in the city — albeit temporarily — in a bid to stay safe from the virus. And the trend was visible in districts close to Hyderabad like Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Medak.
*12:05pm 217 blood samples in AP test negative for coronavirus
* Tough times, they say, bring out the best in us. As the country goes through a lockdown, G Shravan Kumar, and his team of five young friends, have taken it upon themselves to ensure that the poor in the city do not go hungry.
*10:35am All the 217 samples tested overnight turned out to be negative for Covid-19 in Andhra Pradesh.
* More than 40 sanitation staffers, working at Picket in Secunderabad Cantonment, were felicitated for their services during the Covid-19 pandemic by residents on Wednesday.
* In the interest of public health and safety, especially bearing in mind the spread of Covid-19, the state government on Wednesday promulgated the ban on spitting pan, any form of chewable tobacco or non-tobacco products and sputum in public places, institutions and streets once again.
* The Telangana high court on Wednesday made it clear it will not do anything to demoralise police, who are struggling to enforce the lockdown for the larger good of society, but advised authorities to ensure that the men in khaki must enquire into the reasons why people are out on the roads.
* Researchers at Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani, Hyderabad have developed a non-hazardous and reusable 3D printed Face Shield for frontline healthcare professionals fighting Covid-19. The cost estimated for manufacturing the face-shield, which is air and water insulated, is about ₹40 per shield.
* With the coronavirus positive cases crossing 400 in the state, the Telangana government has identified 13 state-run hospitals and 5,100 beds to be used for isolation wards and treatment of coronavirus.
* Muslims clerics of Old City on Wednesday appealed to people of their community to observe Shab-e-Baraat at their homes and not to venture out or visit graveyards on Thursday. United Muslim Forum (UMF) TS & AP emphasised upon the importance of social distancing and asked Muslims to stay at home while observing Shab-e-Baraat.
* Even as the national lockdown is winding down, authorities in Hyderabad have identified as many as 12 Covid-19 hotspots in the city based on the number of positive cases they have reported. The hotspots include select areas of Ramgopalpet near Paradise, Sheikhpet, Red Hills, Malakpet-Santoshnagar, Kukatpally, Yosufguda and Chandanagar among others. Also called “containment clusters”, they include multiple residential and commercial localities which will now be completely sealed.

*Authorities in Telangana on Wednesday said they are gearing up for a long battle to contain the surge of coronavirus cases by procuring more equipment and protection for its health workers, even as 49 more Covid-19 cases were reported in the state. As the overall count of coronavirus cases went up to 453 in the state, health minister Eatala Rajendar said the government has ordered five lakhs more Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and an equal number of N 95 masks for them.
* While reaffirming the Telangana government’s view of extending the lockdown beyond April 14, TRS parliamentary party leaders have asked the Centre to decentralise funds to the states to combat Covid-19. TRS Rajya Sabha floor leader K Keshava Rao and floor leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao, who participated in a video-conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, said the Centre should release the funds instead of centralising everything.