The Director of Public Health (DH) of the state Dr Srinivasa Rao today said that the department was completely prepared to face the challenge of the third wave of Covid.
Speaking to media persons in the city, he said that the new variant of the novel coronavirus, Omicron, had spread to 130 countries of the world, and that the cases of the variant were increasing rapidly in Telangana too.
He said that Covid cases had gone up in the state over the past three days, and that the increase was an indication that the third wave of the virus would soon hit the state.
He said that there was a possibility that the third wave would hit the state after the upcoming Sankranthi festival, and that huge gatherings at New Year celebrations and Sankranthi festivities would contribute to the onset of the third wave.
He added that there was a threat that the third wave would also affect those who had already been fully vaccinated.
He however hastened to state that there was nothing to worry about, and that the state government was prepared much better to face the virus now thanks to the lessons it had learnt during the last two waves.
He also said that 90% of Omicron-affected patients were not displaying any symptoms, and that those exhibiting symptoms would be able to take care of themselves.
He said that there was also no need to conduct tests on asymptomatic patients of the variant, and that the conducting of the tests had been stopped in South Africa.
filed in:Healthcare, Health, Coronavirus, Epidemics, Telangana Government