Hyderabad: Telangana director of public health, Dr G Srinivas Rao, said that going by serological surveys conducted in Telangana, the state is unlikely to witness a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, however wearing masks in outdoor settings is mandatory for the public.
Dr Rao told the media on Thursday that cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in China, Taiwan, and Egypt, along with the Indian states of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
He said that the virus is in control in Telangana and only about 20-25 cases are being reported per day.
Emphasizing the state’s policy of COVID-19 measures, he informed that the cases may rise but not like the third wave.
“Within 6 weeks to 8 weeks, we can see a rise in cases but it may not be the same number of cases in the third wave. Mask is mandatory and if anybody is not wearing a mask, the police will impose fines up to Rs 1000. As people have developed more than 90% of antibodies, we can say we have to wear the mask when going in public but not at home or with family,” concluded Dr Rao.
The serological survey was conducted in Telangana with a total of 14,179 participants from the general population and 3,843 health care workers.
It was found that 92.9% of the sample in the general public and 93.1% of healthcare workers had antibodies. The highest seropositivity (presence of antibodies) was found in Hyderabad at 97%.
(The copy has been edited with inputs from ANI)
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