The daily load of COVID-19 cases in Telangana has declined to pre-second wave numbers. After the first wave of the pandemic started to wane, the lowest daily case burden (less than 200) was recorded in February this year. The second wave took root from second week of March. From mid-October — after nearly seven months — the number of daily infections now is the same as it was in February. This indicates that the second wave is on its way out.

 

Currently, more than 200 new infections are detected whenever daily tests are around 45,000. On Monday, 45,418 samples were examined and 208 persons were detected with coronavirus.

Scarred by the trail of devastation left by the two waves of the pandemic, people continue to be apprehensive about a third wave. Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao has said, at least on two occasions, that another wave can be expected if a new and stronger variant of the coronavirus emerges. Lack of precautions against the infectious disease can also make way for a third wave, experts have cautioned.

The pandemic made its presence felt in the State from March 2020. But from January-end this year, less than 200 new infections were recorded consistently every day. The daily tests in February varied from around 25,000 to 40,000. The caseload would drop to 120-140 as testing dipped.

A similar situation is now being observed with daily tests in the 25,000-45,000 range, and infections hovering around the 200-mark. From October 15 to 17, the cases per day did not cross 125 as daily tests too dropped to 20,000-30,000.

While it took 11 months post the pandemic first wave for daily caseload to fall to around 200, it took seven months since the second wave to reach a similar case total a day.