TS High Court pulls up state govt for low COVID-19 RT-PCR tests

Hyderabad, The Telangana High Court today expressed its displeasure over the steps taken by the state government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The HC asked hospitals of the state to admit patients based on symptoms.

When the government told the HC that they were performing 30,000 to 40,000 RT-PCR tests every day, the HC rebutted the claims by saying only 3.47 lakh RT-PCR tests have been done since April 1 instead of 8.4 lakh tests. It asked the state government as to why it did not perform the requisite number of tests and directed the government to admit patients even without RT-PCR test results.

The court added that the state government should release the media bulletin every day. It also stated that the state government should increase the number of tests in Yadadri Bhongir, Nirmal, Jagitiyala , Kamareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri districts as these districts are registering huge number of positive cases.

The HC also asked the state government to set up rehabilitation Centers for all the migrant workers of the state besides asking it to constitute a special committee for the prevention of the virus. Making it clear that the imposition of night curfew is not enough, it asked the state government to ensure that there was no movement of people in public places. It asked the state government to put restrictions on the organisation of election meetings and rallies in the state.

The state government told the HC that the state has 1350, 108 ambulances and added that 450 ambulances were serving the needy people after receiving phone calls from them. Responding to this, the HC asked the state government to promote the toll free numbers of 108 and 104 across the state and added that display boards should be put up at all Government and private hospitals and diagnostics centers of the state.