An NGO based in Hyderabad, which is conducting fever surveillance in slums, indicated COVID community spread. However, the number of tests done by them till Thursday were less.
Helping Hand Foundation staff conducted 250 Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) on people with symptoms in 10 low-income localities and confirmed the test positivity rate to be around 13%-17%.
The NGO members, who organise basti clinics, took up fever surveillance at Hassan Nagar, Shaheen Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, and NS Kunta.
A team of volunteers conducted door-to-door survey and asked people with fever to undergo tests. Paramedics conducted RATs.
High grade fever (between 100 and 103 degrees) with complaints of cold and cough were reported in children from zero to 10 years. In case of adults, along with fever, other issues reported were body pains, sore throat, headache, and weakness.
“Around 95% patients are being managed under home care,” said Mujtaba Hasan Askari of Helping Hand Foundation.
