The Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider extending the nationwide 21-day lockdown period. Speaking to the media on Monday night, the CM stated that India may not be able to handle if the situation escalates due to the lockdown being hastily lifted. KCR has appealed to extend the lockdown for two more weeks after the current 21 lockdown ends on April 15.
"The lockdown is the reason the country is saved and has seen very few cases. A country like India has to be careful otherwise it will become uncontrollable. We have no other choice except to obey the lockdown. The economy will get hurt and we are spending a lot of money. At least we are not seeing deaths like Italy, Spain and the US," KCR said.
Stating that he was in constant touch with the Prime Minister, KCR said, "I told the Prime Minister that the lockdown should be extended. At least some of the restrictions should stay for a bit more. Otherwise, India will not be able to handle things if the lockdown is hastily lifted."
KCR further added that the country can recover from an economic problem but we cannot recover lives. “In a country like India with a poor infrastructure and with a lot of working force, the only way for us is a lockdown. I appeal to the Government of India and Prime Minister to extend the lockdown without hesitation, consult Chief Ministers of all states, through video conferencing, am sure something positive will come.”
The CM was also upset that news agency ANI and ET misreported his words and claimed that he had already announced an extension of the lockdown.
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New cases
A total of 364 people have tested positive in Telangana as of Monday, the CM informed.
Of those tested positive, 308 are undergoing treatment in Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Hyderabad. “Maybe another 100 odd cases will come. We are hoping to arrest it there itself.” said the Chief Minister.
The CM stated that out of the 25,937 people who were put under quarantine only 50 had tested positive.
Of the 50 who tested positive, 30 people were foreign returnees and the rest 20 are primary contacts, mostly family members. “Not a single person from this has died thankfully because they were treated from an early-stage,” said KCR.
The Chief Minister added that 35 people out of 50 persons who tested positive have been discharged already, “By day after tomorrow (Wednesday), the remaining 15 people will be discharged. They are all healthy. There is no problem there. This was the first batch,” he added.
There are only 2,000 odd people left in quarantine right now. By April 9, all of them will be discharged, said KCR.
The state has so far identified 1,089 people who attended the Ijteba event by the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin, Delhi. Another 30 to 35 people have been quarantined in Delhi itself.
“There are 172 positive cases among those who went to Nizammudin, all 11 deaths in the state are connected to Nizamuddin - either direct or their contacts. Another 93 people who were contact cases of these people also tested positive. There are both Hindus and Muslims in this figure. The 10 Indonesians have also been discharged,” said KCR.