HYDERABAD: The test positivity rate of COVID-19 on the second day of mass testing on Wednesday shot up to 24.5 per cent. This is after 269 of the 1,096 samples tested on Wednesday turned out to be COVID-positive. This implies that 24.5 per cent of all people tested have COVID.
This positivity rate is almost on par with the likes of Delhi, which has had a test positivity rate around 25 per cent in the last one week. As per ICMR guidelines, if positivity rate is over 10 per cent the testing must be amped up. The overall test positivity rate for Telangana is now at 12.36 per cent.
The total number of COVID cases is the State is now 5,675. One death was recorded taking the total to 192. On a positive note, nearly 151 were cured of COVID and discharged, taking total discharges to 3,071.
Blood Pressure, diabetes big killers
The State Health Department also released detailed data on the co-morbid conditions which have been claiming lives. The biggest killer amongst all the co-morbidities are hypertension and diabetes.
These two common disease conditions which almost everyone over 50 seems to contract due to lifestyle habits, has claimed 71 lives. This means that 36.9 per cent of COVID deaths are because of complications caused by hypertension and diabetes.
35 dead had no co-morbidities
The second leading cause of death seems to be the COVID infection itself, proving how deadly the virus can be. Though the Health Department has been maintaining that on its own, COVID is not a killer largely, of the 192 deaths 35 patients had no co-morbid condition.
This is 16 per cent of all deaths reported. The third highest killer is hypertension alone which claimed 22 of the 192 lives, followed by a combination of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases taking away 21 lives.
Younger people, men most affected by virus
The Health Department released a gender-wise distribution of cases, which show that 65 per cent of those affected were men (3,671) and 35 per cent of those affected were women (2,004) cases. In terms of age-wise distribution of cases, the age group of 30-40 years tops the number of cases (1,252). The next age group with a majority of cases, i.e 1,238, is between 21- 30.
In terms of minors who were affected by COVID, there are 695 children under the age of 20. In terms of those above the age of 60 affected by COVID, there are 654, with five patients above the age of 90.
Senior health official, superintendent found infected
HYDERABAD: A senior official from the district Medical and Health Department tested positive on Wednesday. A doctor heading the charge as superintendent of two important government hospitals in the city also tested positive, as well as a dermatologist from Warangal district. According to sources, more than 60 staffers have tested positive from NIMS, including around 40 doctors.
TPCC Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy tests positive
HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and was admitted to a corporate hospital for treatment. He was actively involved in relief activities during the lockdown and organised several COVID awareness programmes among the people, besides distributing sanitisers and masks in various slum areas in Secunderabad.
60 COVID train coaches deployed at 3 TS railway stations
South Central Railway (SCR) has deployed 60 COVID care or isolation care train coaches for COVID patients in three of Telangana’s railway stations, including Kacheguda, Secunderabad, and Adilabad. As per the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) Government of India, the state governments sent the requisition to Indian Railways after which the railways granted COVID coaches to the State/UTs.