Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who initially did not give much importance to the Coronavirus threat across the country, has now woken up to the reality and has started taking stringent measures.
The reason for this sudden change in KCR’s stand was the detection of seven positive cases in Karimnagar – of that of Indonesian nationals who came to the town on March 14 on a religious mission. Naturally, the Centre has taken it seriously and sounded a high alert.
KCR, who conducted an emergency review meeting on Thursday, decided to personally monitor the situation by visiting Karimnagar town on Saturday and take measures to prevent the spread of Corona virus.
Official machinery in Karimnagar has been on toes ever since the seven cases were detected on Wednesday.
It was revealed that some people who came from Indonesia to Karimnagar have tested positive for the virus. The CM also, from time to time, reviewed the situation there and gave several suggestions.
“On Saturday, the CM along with high-level officials will tour Karimnagar and also hold a review meeting there,” an CMO official said.
Minister for civil supplies Gangula Kamalakar, who held an emergency meeting with district collector K Shashanka, commissioner of police V B Kamalasan Reddy and other officials announced enforcement of Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code in the town in the wake of the detection of seven positive cases.
Except those selling essential commodities, all the shops and hotels were closed on Thursday and the people have been asked not to come out unless in emergency situations.
The minister said the district officials were enquiring as to which places these Indonesian nationals travelled, whom they had met and who are the other people who inadvertently came in contact with them.
“We are also enquiring about the mode of transport of these Indonesians and whom they could have contacted during their travel. We examining the closed-circuit cameras in the town to find out their movements,” he said.
During the inquiries, it was revealed that the Indonesians had travelled from Delhi to Ramagundam in the district via train and from there, they came to Karimnagar in a local transport.
The authorities have identified all the co-passengers in the train and also those who travelled with them in the local transport.
These visitors stayed in a masjid closer to district collector’s office for two days.
“So, all the people staying within three kilometres range of the district collectorate would be thoroughly screened to rule out the spread of the disease,” the minister said.