Hyderabad, With Greater Hyderabad continuing to see a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Telangana government is focusing on the state capital with a strategy to check the spread of the dreaded virus.

Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao and Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Tuesday reviewed the situation in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at a meeting with officials.

Rama Rao, considered as number two in the government headed by his father K. Chandrashekhar Rao, and Rajender reviewed the situation with Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, Principal Secretary, health, Shanti Kumari and other officials.

Out of the 472 COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in the state, 216 are from GHMC. Out of 17 deaths in the state, GHMC accounts for 10 deaths.

As many as 17 members of one family in the old city of Hyderabad were found infected on Monday. They were screened after a family member tested positive after death.

Since the 60-year-old was buried before her test result was known, health authorities sent the female 'gassal' or the one who washes the dead bodies and 26 other family members into quarantine.

With such a large number of cases reported from one family in Bhavani Nagar, police sealed several lanes and began a door-to-door survey for screening of people with suspected symptoms.

The health authorities have created 246 containment centres across the state and out of them 126 centres are in GHMC.

"Hyderabad district is a high focus area. Robust containment is being initiated in GHMC areas. A special strategy is being adopted to contain the spread of infection in GHMC areas. In line with 30 GHMC circles, senior officers (Doctors) are being identified and vested with the powers of DMHO (District Medical and Health Officer) so as to ensure prompt and immediate action," said a medical bulletin by the health department.

Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday directed officials to pay more attention to GHMC. He asked them to create zones and appoint a special officer for every zone.

"More cases are getting registered in the Greater Hyderabad area. In Hyderabad there are more chances of the persons with positive cases quickly spreading it to others. Hence there should be a special strategy for Hyderabad," the chief minister said.

He directed the authorities to manage containment centres more effectively. He said people from these areas should not be allowed to move out and similarly outsiders should not be allowed to enter these areas.