COVID-19: Telangana Officials Ignore Asymptomatic Persons for Testing, Raises Concerns

On Tuesday, May 19, Telangana reported 42 new COVID-19 positive cases and four deaths, increasing its total cases to 1,634 and death toll to 38. While the spread of COVID-19 appears to be slowing in the state in comparison to other major states, several pleas have been filed in the high court questioning the state government’s containment measures. 

As per the government data, of the total 31 districts in the state, three districts have not reported any COVID-19 cases, 25 districts have not reported any new positive cases in the last 14 days. On May 18, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced relaxations to the nearly two-month-long lockdown with exceptions in the containment zones in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts. The state is now also importing new cases from migrants entering for work and stranded people returning back. 

As of May 14 (last released data on samples tested), the state conducted just 22,842 tests, one of the lowest in the country. Whereas, by that date, neighbouring states, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu had conducted 2.1 lakh tests and 2.9 lakh tests, respectively. 

According to a plea filed by one Varun Sankineni in the state high court, which came for hearing on Monday, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the Suryapet district is increasing as health officials are allegedly “holding tests on primary suspects and ignoring the asymptomatic patients.” The court sought response from the government and listed the case for May 26. Similar concerns have been raised by activists and doctors. Another petition alleged that the state government is not conducting enough tests in Nirmal district. The two cases are posted for May 26. 

Telangana has been contact tracing since March 2, the day when the first COVID-19 case was tested positive in the state. In a press meet last week, Eatala Rajender, state minister of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, told the media that the state has been efficiently tracing the contacts of disease affected people with the help of the police department and are being sent to home or institutional quarantine as per guidelines issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “We are conducting tests on those who show symptoms of COVID-19 as per the guidelines issued by ICMR. We are on a par with the US and the UK in doing accurate testing. If a person has no symptoms, swab samples cannot be taken,” he said. 

However, the state government’s testing strategy has been in contrast to what scientists and experts advise, suggesting aggressive testing including those of asymptomatic contacts.

While not conducting tests on asymptomatic patients is one reason for low testing numbers, the state government has also not allowed 11 private laboratories approved by ICMR. So far, nine government laboratories are conducting RT-PCR tests on virus suspected patients. Rajender has earlier told the media that allowing private laboratories may lead to panic-like situations among asymptomatic patients and people in general. 

Meanwhile, opposition parties in the state have been criticising the government over low testing.