india

Updated: Apr 27, 2020 22:16 IST

Emphasising that Telangana was heading towards becoming a coronavirus-free state gradually, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said the lockdown would continue strictly till May 7, as announced earlier, without any scope for complacency.

KCR, who attended the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning but did not get an opportunity to speak, shared the details of the video conference with his senior officials at a meeting later in the evening.

He said Telangana was gradually coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic and there were clear indications that the state would become coronavirus-free very soon.

On Monday, only two positive cases – both from Hyderabad – were reported in the state and as many as 21 out of 33 districts in the state are going to be declared Covid-19 free by April 28. “More than 97 per cent of the patients admitted in hospitals are on the path of recovery,” the chief minister said.

Stating that Telangana was able to prevent the spread of the virus by strictly enforcing lockdown restrictions, KCR said many containment areas were reporting zero positive cases. “By next week, I am sure the entire state will report zero positive cases. Even if one or two cases surface here and there, they could be tackled very easily,” he said.

He, however, said the government would not remain complacent just because the numbers of positive cases were coming down. “We are always alert about any unforeseen situation that would result in an increase in the number of cases. The department of health is always alert with all the necessary equipment,” he said.

“We shall bring down the number of containment zones as the number of positive cases comes down. But the officials and the people will be alert in the containment areas,” he said and appealed to the people to follow rules and cooperate with the government by staying indoors, except in emergency situations.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who too could not get a chance to speak at the PM’s video conference, said his government had put forth certain proposals post-lockdown on May 3.

He said while introduction of public transport might take more time, allowing private transport could be looked into. He wanted that the inconvenience to the people should be mitigated, though the state would have to bear the brunt of financial loss in the coming days.

He said the state has 676 mandals (revenue blocks) of which 63 are in red zones and 54 in orange zones and the remaining are in the green zone, which account for 80% of the total mandals. While safeguarding the green zones the government will have to see that orange and red zones change into the green. Hopefully activity may pick up in the green zones soon, Jagan said.

He asked the people not to attach any stigma to coronavirus positive patients as it could affect anybody in the state including him in the days to come.

“The coronavirus is not going to disappear from the country. It is going to stay here for a long time and we have to live with it. It can affect anybody. Even I may get coronavirus. So, we should not subject coronavirus patients to social discrimination as it comes and goes after running its course. We have to learn to live with it in the days to come,” Jagan said in a message to the people through electronic media.

He said the people would have to make some lifestyle changes to boost their immunity levels, maintain social distancing and take care of the old and sick. “Coronavirus will come and go and we need not attach any stigma to it as anyone is vulnerable to the disease and we should take precautions as per guidelines,” he said.