Covid-19: Karimnagar in virtual lockdown for health check

HYDERABAD: With eight out of 11 Indonesians who arrived in Karimnagar testing positive for Covid-19, the district administration on Thursday began an exercise on a war-footing to conduct health check-ups for people at places the group visited.
On Thursday, officials targeted to cover 10,000 houses. As many as 100 medical teams fanned out into all areas in the town to identify people with fever and, if necessary, they would be sent to Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad if they show any symptoms of coronavirus.
It was as if the town was on a lockdown as shops and establishments closed down after authorities urged people to stay indoors for the health checks. Minister Gangula Kamalakar went around town urging people not to venture out of their houses and avoid gatherings.

The Indonesian group had visited a mosque and it has already been sanitised. The community has been asked not to gather for Friday prayers there. Kamalakar said CCTV footage was being collected to identify the places the Indonesian group had visited.
In addition, the authorities, who enquired about the movement of the Indonesian group, were reportedly informed that they had visited two other places of worship. The areas around those places would also be covered for health checks. Initially, 100-metre radius of the places where the Indonesians had visited would be covered and subsequently it would be extended to a one-kilometre radius.
A three-kilometre radius around the Karimnagar collectorate wore a deserted look as the area the Indonesians had visited, Mukarampura, was in its proximity. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the religious preachers from Indonesia, after their arrival in India had landed in Ramagundam by train and from there, took autos to reach Karimnagar. The authorities were trying to ascertain how many local people came in contact with the group.
Karimnagar police have directed people not to gather in groups in the area to prevent spread of the coronavirus. In addition to the 200-bed isolation ward at the government general hospital, isolation wards have been created at two more private health facilities.
The leave of all medical personnel in Karimnagar has been suspended and they have been asked to be available round-the-clock, if the necessity arises.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian ambassador to India, Sidharto Suryadipora has been informed by the Telangana government about the Indonesian nationals being admitted to Gandhi Hospital. The embassy authorities intend to provide interpreters to the Indonesian nationals, if they feel the need for it.