In a massive surge in Covid-19 cases in Telangana, 352 people tested positive for the dreaded virus on Thursday, thus adding 1,000 patients in three days.
This is the highest daily jump in the cases since the first case was reported on March 2. It was only on Wednesday that the state had recorded the highest jump with 269 cases.
With this the state's tally of Covid-19 cases mounted to 6,027. The state added 1,000 new cases in just three days.
With three more persons succumbing to the disease, the death toll rose to 195.
Greater Hyderabad continued to be the worst affected region, accounting for 302 of the cases reported on Thursday. Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts, adjoining Greater Hyderabad, reported 17 and 10 cases, respectively.
According to the director of the public health and family welfare department, 230 people were discharged from hospitals following their recovery. The cumulative number of recoveries stands at 3,301.
The official said 2,531 patients were currently undergoing the treatment.
The latest surge in cases came three days after the health authorities launched Covid-19 testing in Greater Hyderabad and surrounding districts. The government had announced on Sunday that 50,000 tests would be conducted over the next one week to 10 days.
The process of conducting the tests in containment zones and among high-risk groups began on Tuesday.
It was not clear if the cases reported during the last two days included the results of the additional tests conducted in containment areas.
After giving daily and cumulative figures of the tests conducted in the media bulletin on Tuesday and Wednesday, the health department removed the columns on Thursday.
Meanwhile, two policemen at a police station in Hyderabad tested positive for COVID-19. A head constable and a constable of SR Nagar police station were found infected by the virus and were shifted to a hospital for treatment.
A few days ago, 15 policemen of the Banjara Hills police station had tested positive.
A top officer of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) also tested positive on Thursday. Authorities sealed his chamber in GHMC head office.
Four GHMC employees had already tested positive. They included driver of Greater Hyderabad Mayor B. Rammohan and an employee in his office.
