With the highest single-day jump of 1,087 Covid-19 cases on Sunday, Telangana's tally crossed 13,000, overtaking Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
With 13,436 cases, Telangana has now climbed to the eighth position in the list of states with most cases.
This is the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19 that the single-day jump crossed 1,000 mark. The state, which reported 985 cases on Friday, has been witnessing a massive surge for the last few days, reaching a new high every day.
Saturday also saw six fatalities, pushing the death toll to 243.
According to the director of public health and family welfare, 3,923 samples were tested during the last 24 hours. On Friday, 4,374 samples were tested. The cumulative number of tests rose to 79,231.
The official said 162 patients were discharged on Saturday, taking the total of recoveries to 4,928.
Of the fresh cases, 888 were reported in Greater Hyderabad, the biggest hotspot. Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts bordering Greater Hyderabad reported 74 and 37 cases.
Indicating the spread in other parts of the state as well, Nalgonda reported 35 new cases and Sangareddy district 11 cases.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has blamed private laboratories conducting Covid-19 tests for a big jump in positive cases and threatened to suspend their operations if they failed to rectify the gaps in 48 hours.
The expert committee constituted by it observed that certain labs are not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
"There have been discrepancies in data pertaining to the number of tests conducted, positives reported and portal updation. The quality of testing has also been compromised. Certain labs are reporting close to 70 per cent positivity rate which clearly denotes huge errors in the testing methodology," the department said.
The expert committee has examined and scrutinised all parameters in the labs concerned in a very elaborate and robust manner. The laboratories have been directed to rectify all gaps within a period of 48 hours failing which their operations shall be suspended.
Health Minister E. Rajender said a door-to-door survey would be undertaken to identify those with Covid-19 symptoms.
The minister, who reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting, said with the change of season, many people were suffering from cold, fever and cough and since these are the symptoms of Covid-19, people were scared.
Rajender discussed with officials the measures required to be taken to check the spread in Greater Hyderabad.
He said those with coronavirus symptoms should undergo the test in identified government hospitals.
