Telugu states order stricter norms as vaccine trials begin at NIMS

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, July 14

As the two Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana report an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases, both the states have reviewed the measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Andhra Pradesh has announced new COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, categorising even adjoining Telangana as a “high-risk” state. Telangana has on the other hand segregated the old city of Hyderabad into clusters and sealed many locations.

The clinical trials for coronavirus vaccine – COVAXIN – began on Tuesday at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).

COVAXIN is India’s first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology.

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given a nod for its human clinical trials. Trials will be conducted at 12 places across the country.

Andhra Pradesh reported 1,916 new cases and 43 deaths in the past 24 hours.

New guidelines for quarantine of people coming into the state from various parts of the country and also abroad have been announced.

The Special Chief Secretary (Health) KS Jawahar Reddy has ordered that all persons coming from other states might be advised strict home quarantine for 14 days.

Neighbouring Telangana and Karnataka that were categorised as "low-risk" states earlier have been put in the "high-risk" category now.

The AP State Road Transport Corporation has announced it was cancelling over 150 inter-state busses for Bengaluru because of the lockdown being imposed in the Garden City from July 15 to 23.

The Telangana Government has also brought back the concept of containment clusters in certain pockets of the old city. These clusters are mainly seen in Sultan Shahi, Moghalpura, Lal Darwaza and Shahalibanda areas of the old city.

Ashok Samrath, Zonal Commissioner (South), Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, said areas were being barricaded to mark cluster zones.

Some 20 cluster zones have come up in the city.

Andhra Pradesh has not opened its inter-state borders yet for movement of persons and obtaining an e-pass for entry into the state is still mandatory.

It has ordered a uniform institutional quarantine of seven days for all foreign returnees and tests might be conducted between the fifth and seventh day (upon arrival) and, based on the result, follow up action be initiated, he added.

The overall COVID-19 death toll in Andhra Pradesh shot up to 408 following a record 43 deaths in the past 24 hours.

The toll on Tuesday is higher than the previous record of 37 deaths reported the preceding morning.

Meanwhile, 28 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in the state in the last 48 hours. Besides, 10 Raj Bhavan staffers and an equal number of their family members have also been infected with the virus, pushing the total number of cases related to Raj Bhawan to 48.