The third wave of COVID-19 triggered by the Omicron variant appears to have come to an end in Telangana, a senior health official said on Tuesday, even as he stressed on COVID-appropriate behaviour and vaccination.
"In the third wave, cases started rising from December 28, 2021. We have seen the peak on January 28. We are witnessing a decline in number of cases since then," state Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao told reporters here.
About 70 per cent of patients in Telangana are infected by BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron, he said. The positivity rate is less than five per cent.
"In our state also, we have seen only 1,300 cases being reported yesterday. Our positivity rate was below two per cent. Our hospital bed occupancy is only four cent," he said.
Of the four per cent bed occupancy, only two per cent of patients are from Telangana and the other two per cent belong to other states who are taking treatment in Hyderabad, he said. "If we look at these numbers and figures, we can say that the third wave which was triggered by Omicron has come to an end in Telangana," the health official said.
The peak of the third wave in Telangana was seen on January 25 when 4,559 cases were reported. The state has effectively dealt with the three waves under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Director said. Vaccination has proved to be a major weapon in facing the third wave in the country and in Telangana as well, Srinivasa Rao said.
Noting that the virus threat is not over yet, he emphasised on following COVID-appropriate behaviour and taking vaccines. Vaccination has been found to have reduced severe illness and hospitalisation, he said.
Observing that this is the time to put economic activity, either family-related or as a society, back on track, he said Information Technology and other sectors can open up. No restrictions are in place in the state at present, he said.
With inputs from PTI.
