Expressing concern over the spurt in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last 48 hours, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said the government was doing its best to trace those who returned from the religious congregation at Nizamuddin and test each one of them and their contacts lest the risk of the spread of coronavirus should increase.
Of the 87 individuals tested positive so far, about 70 have contracted the virus at the massive gathering at Nizamuddin, which was attended by 1,085 persons from Andhra Pradesh, he said, pointing out that 585 of them turned out to be COVID negative and the test results of the remaining are awaited.
‘No need to panic’
“There is nothing stigmatic about COVID, which is like any fever or flu, hence those feeling sick should get themselves diagnosed to know if they are afflicted with the virus and take necessary treatment before the infection passes to healthy individuals,” he said in a televised address to people.
While saying that, the CM cautioned the elderly and sick people against taking the their vulnerability to COVID lightly as it posed a greater danger to them than others. But, no person, even if he or she was sick, should panic, he suggested.
He sought to infuse courage in the people, saying that the disease was completely curable provided treatment was taken in time and other measures followed.
The CM said 81% of the confirmed cases were successfully treated at home and that self-isolation for 14 days was an effective way to confront the disease. Only up to 5 % of the infected persons were under intensive care.
He thanked the people’s representatives, government officers and employees etc. for consenting to the deferment of salaries and remunerations, which was necessitated by the drastic fall in revenues on the one hand and the tremendous financial burden imposed by COVID containment efforts on the other.
