HYDERABAD: In view of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Hyderabad, the Telangana government is likely to impose a 15-day lockdown in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area after doctors & health care professionals suggested Lockdown of another 15-days to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday in a meeting with health officials said 15 days of lockdown in GHMC is being considered and the decision will be taken in the next three to four days in a cabinet meeting.

KCR asked people not to panic as the government has already made preparations to give treatment to all the patients. He also reviewed measures being taken up in the state to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Explaining the COVID-19 situation in the state, health minister Eatala Rajender said that the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients in Telangana was only 1.52 compared to the national average of 3.04. Besides, the isolation wards in government hospitals, beds were set up in private medical colleges. However, patients with no symptoms are being given treatment at their home, he said.

Besides, health minister Eatala Rajender, Municipal Administration, and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao, R&B minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, and other higher officials of the health department attended the meeting.

With the rampant rise in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Hyderabad in the last few days, several shops, business establishments, and general markets in Hyderabad announced voluntary lockdown as a precautionary measure.

On Saturday, Telangana reported 1,087 new COVID-19 cases. With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state climbed up to 13,436. Currently, there are 8,265 active cases in the state.

Of the total new cases recorded on Saturday, the GHMC area reported 888 new infections. Rangareddy reported 74 cases, 37 cases were reported in Medchal district.