Several people have been sent to quarantine in Hyderabad after the police successfully cracked a kidnapping case earlier this week, but later found out that the toddler who was rescued tested positive for the coronavirus.
While the toddler was reunited with the mother initially, officials later handed the child over to the Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD) as the woman was reported to be addicted to alcohol.
The police said that following this, a test was conducted on the child, who tested positive for the coronavirus.
Speaking to TNM, Chaderghat Station House Officer (SHO) Polisetty Sateesh said that the toddler was undergoing treatment at the Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad while the accused and several others including the baby's mother and police personnel were in quarantine.
"Two women home guards who came in close contact with the baby were also sent to quarantine. A case has been registered against the accused and further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the infection," he said.
Meanwhile, Telangana on Saturday reported 55 new coronavirus cases, taking the state's tally to 1,509. Most of the new cases continued to be reported from the jurisdiction of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
According to the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, 12 patients were discharged on Saturday, taking the number of recoveries to 971. No deaths were reported on Saturday. The death toll in Telangana is 34 so far.
Data released by the Health Department showed that in Hyderabad, which accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the total cases in the state, 168 families were affected by COVID-19. Neighbouring Ranga Reddy district comes second with 59 affected families.
Medchal, another district bordering Hyderabad, had 39 affected families. Thus, the three red zone districts have a total of 266 affected families.
IANS inputs
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