Telangana doing better in battling COVID-19 now, recovery rate more: Governor

Telangana was now doing better in managing the COVID-19 pandemic compared to some other states and it is evident in the recovery rate and decline in positive cases in some districts, state Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Friday.

Telangana was now doing better in managing the COVID-19 pandemic compared to some other states and it is evident in the recovery rate and decline in positive cases in some districts, state Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Friday. A medical doctor, Soundararajan, who had earlier pitched for stepping up tests and ramping up healthcare facilities in districts, also said the government has implemented some of the suggestions.

"Continuously, I have come out with so many suggestions to the government from the beginning. In some districts, there is decline in cases. There are a large number of patients now recovering. The recovery rate is more in Telangana. The peak has been slowed in some of the districts," she said during an interaction with mediapersons through video conferencing. She stressed that tracing, testing and treating should be carried out without lowering the guard while following preventive measures such as wearing of mask, and social distance to check the spread of the virus, which has so far affected 1.95 people in the state.

Actually, we are very optimistic when compared with other states like TamilNadu and Andhra Pradesh, she said in reply to a question. Noting that the state was moving forward in controlling the COVID, she, however, said all must be aware reinfection was possible.

"Telangana, when compared to the previous stage, now we are doing in a much better way, according to me. Reports also say that, she said. Observing that she found (on television) most of the political parties were not following social distance, Soundararajan said she wanted them to be a role model to the public.

Amid criticism of low testing in the state, the governor had in June said it should be increased to effectively deal with the pandemic and had later called the Chief Secretary and Health officials for discussions on the then situation. As of Thursday, the tally of positive cases in Telangana stood at 1,95,609 while the death toll was 1,145. The recovery rate was 84.78 per cent against the country's 83.5 per cent.

The Governor spoke to reporters through a video conference on the occasion of launching Raj Bhavan Digitalisation, Paperless and Environment Friendly Office. The process of digitalisation would promote communication, she said, adding it was not only for carrying out the formal work in the Raj Bhavan but also to communicate with the people in an easier way.

Asked about her recent comments during a webinar, supporting the contentious central agriculture legislations and the opposition to them by the state government and others, the governor said she lauded the measures as she saw many good things in them. Her special interest was agriculture and she had seen and understood the problems of farmers while studying in a medical college in her native in Tamil Nadu, she said.

"I want to project what all the good things in the farm bill. I am not there to politicise or to counter it or debate...," she said. On the Congress protesting near the Raj Bhavan over the farm bills and the party claiming that they did not get an appointment to meet her, Soundararajan said it has been clearly communicated that personal visits by delegations were not being entertained during the pandemic.

The party was told to send its representation through email, she said. Raj Bhavan cannot be a place for "political drama", she said adding because of the pandemic, representations were being received by email.