13 fresh COVID-19 cases in Telangana; State gets Centre's nod for plasma therapy

Centre approved the Telangana government's request to use plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Telangana reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 taking the tally 983 of positive cases in the state.

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has got the Centre's approval to use plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, state Health Minister E Rajender said on Friday, as 13 fresh cases of the virus were reported.

"With 13 fresh cases reported on Friday, the number of virus cases reported in the state rose to 983," he said.

No death occurred on Friday and the number of people who succumbed to the virus in the state was 25, Rajender said.

The number of people who have been discharged from hospitals was 291.

"The number of active cases was 663," he said.

"Plasma therapy. We applied. We did not get permission. We asked how can it be so late (in giving permission), it should be given on war-footing and that it should be accepted. They (Centre) said that you can do it and permission is deemed to have been given...They gave permission to us also. "We will use it for patients who are serious," he told reporters here.

He hoped that, as per the current trend, there would be a decline in cases in Vikarabad, Gadwal, Suryapet districts, where a considerable number of cases have been reported, and also in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area.

The majority of the cases in Telangana have been reported from the GHMC.

"If today's trend continues, there would be control soon and it could be positive in Telangana," he said.

Hoping for an increase in discharge of COVID-19 patients after recovery, he, however, said there is variation in the number of days it took for patients to test negative.

Rajender, who cited an instance of a doctor being turned away by his relatives and others when he had gone to their residence, deprecated the tendency of showing an unjustified and unfair attitude towards medical personnel.

"The Telangana government would not spare insults or violence towards doctors," he said.

The minister, who attended a video conference held by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday, said: "The Union Minister appreciated the state governments work (in virus containment) and also for converting a sports facility in Hyderabad into a hospital for COVID-19."

Replying to a query, he said no no doctor tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.

"A lab technician at Gadwal in the state is reported to have tested positive," the minister said.

"The state government has taken all measures for personal protection of medical personnel from the beginning," he asserted.

"The government has arranged a stay for doctors at hotels so that they don't need to go home," he said.

"There is no shortage of N-95 masks, PPE kits and other equipment," Rajender said.

"Taking exception to some social media posts, complaining about food and others being provided in the hospital," he said the government is providing good quality and nutritious meals to the patients in hospitals.

He said 81 per cent of patients are asymptomatic. The city-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, a constituent laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, is collaborating with another city-based LAXAI LifeSciences to jointly develop and manufacture Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and Intermediates to reduce the dependency of Indian Pharma sector on Chinese imports, according to an official release.

The police continued strict implementation of lockdown in the state, aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.

(PTI REPORT)