In a new daily high, Telangana on Friday reported 2,478 new Covid-19 cases during the last 24 hours as the surge continues across the state.

The new infection climbed to 2,478 from 2,055 the previous day. The fresh cases pushed the state’s cumulative tally to 3,21,182.

Five more persons succumbed to the virus during the last 24 hours that ended 8 p.m. Thursday, taking the death toll to 1,746. According to the director of public health and family welfare, the fatality rate remains at 0.54 per cent against the national average of 1.30 per cent.

The number of active cases jumped to 15,472 from 13,362 the previous day. They include 9,674 who are in home/institutional isolation.

A total of 363 people recovered from the pandemic during the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative recoveries to 3,03,964. The recovery rate has slipped further to 94.63 per cent but still above the national average of 91.2 per cent.

Greater Hyderabad crossed 400-mark to report 402 cases while districts bordering it continue to witness a surge. Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy districts reported 208 and 162 cases respectively.

Nizamabad district bordering Maharashtra became the third worst affected district with 176 new cases. Nirmal registered 111 new cases followed by Jagtiyal (105), Kamareddy (98), Mahaboobnagar (96), Nalgonda (88), Karimnagar (87), Mancherial (85), Warangal Urban (82), Sangareddy (79), and Adilabad (72).

The admissions into hospitals treating Covid cases have also gone up to 5,798 from 5,099 the previous day.

According to director of public health, 4,219 patients were undergoing treatment in 244 private hospitals while 1,579 beds were occupied in 61 government hospitals.

For the first time since the pandemic broke out, the authorities conducted over one lakh tests in a single day. Of the total 1,01,986 tests conducted during last 24 hours, 89,645 samples were tested in government laboratories and 12,341 in private labs. With this, the number of tests conducted in the state so far climbed to 1,07,61,939. Samples tested per million population rose to 2,89,143.

The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed state health authorities to conduct Covid-19 tests on those coming from other states.

It also suggested that only those who have undergone RT-PCR tests be allowed into the state.

The high court orders came in the wake of surge in Covid cases, especially in the districts bordering Maharashtra, which is witnessing a massive spike.

The court also asked the government to constitute a committee of experts to suggest measures to check the spread of Covid-19.

It observed that while the state may not impose a lockdown, it should create containment zones wherever cases were detected to check spread of the virus.

On the direction of the court two days ago, the Health Department submitted its report on testing and treatment while the Director General of Police submitted a report on action taken against the violators of Covid-19 guidelines.

The DGP, in his report, informed the court that 22,000 cases were booked against those violating Covid-19 guidelines. The report says 2,416 cases were booked for not following social distancing, and six cases for spitting on roads.

The court expressed surprise that only 1.16 lakh people were fined for not following the Covid guidelines, observing that action against those not following guidelines is only for name’s sake.

A bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy once again voiced its displeasure over fewer RT-PCR tests at a time when the second wave of the pandemic is sweeping across the country. It asked the health authorities to increase RT-PCR tests to 70 per cent of all Covid tests as per guidelines issued by the Central government.

The court expressed concern over crowds at liquor shops, bars, pubs and cinema theatres, remarking that the liquor shops have turned into corona sources. It directed that criminal cases be booked against those wine shops, pubs, bars and restaurants violating Covid guidelines and their license be cancelled.

The court also asked the health authorities to ensure that social distancing is followed at the meetings of political parties and marriages.

The Health Department informed the court that sero surveillance will be completed in six weeks, and the court asked it to submit the report.

The court also wanted the government to spell out its plans for giving Covid vaccine to various groups of beneficiaries, especially inmates of old age homes. It directed the government to provide details of the number of doses received by the state, doses administered, wastage etc.

The court asked the government to submit a report by April 14 and adjourned the hearing to April 19.

The Telangana state government today (Tuesday) announced the closure of all educational institutions in the state from March 24 in the wake of increasing corona cases across the state.

Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy makes an announcement to this effect in Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

She said that majority of the fresh covid cases are being reported from educational institutions across the state for the past few days forcing the government to order the closure of educational institutions.

Sabitha said that States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh etc have already closed educational institutions due to corona.

She said parents in Telangana are concerned about the safety of their children and requesting the state government to close educational institutions.

She said all educational institutions will be allowed to hold online classes like earlier.

These orders are applicable to all educational institutions except medical colleges.