Will increase testing, jabs to tackle Covid: Karnataka CM Bommai

Bommai said that the Prime Minister instructed Karnataka to increase vaccination for people in the age groups between 6-12, 15-18 and above 60 years, scale-up facilities of district hospitals, and ensure people maintain Covid appropriate behaviour to try and contain the numbers when it is low.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the government would start increasing testing in Bengaluru, home to nearly a quarter of the state’s estimated 70 million population as well as 90% of all Covid-19 cases, to minimise the impact of the impending fourth wave of infections.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the government would start increasing Covid testing to minimise the impact of the impending fourth wave of infections. (PTI)

“Covid-19 is under control now. Since (April) 9, the positivity rate in Bengaluru has been high, and we are increasing testing. We have decided to increase testing to 30,000 per day. There will be 20,000 in Bengaluru and 10,000 in other places,” Bommai said.

The statements come when states like Karnataka are reviving stalled practices like mandating masks, social distancing and testing to contain the threat of an impending fourth wave that is likely to peak in the state by the end of June and remain till around October, according to health experts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a video conference with chief ministers of all states to take stock of the resurgence of the pandemic across the country.

The Karnataka government on Tuesday said that the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to be around the end of June and is expected to continue till even October, raising fears of a resurgence of the virus and the restrictions that accompany a spike in cases.

“All the data and reports so far have been provided by IIT-Kanpur. They have said that it would be around June end. Almost a month ago, it started, but the peak will come after June and can stay till September and October. Their predictions have been more or less true for the earlier three waves,” Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education, said on Tuesday, HT reported.

Bommai on Wednesday added that there would be increased testing at the airport, especially to check on people coming from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and South Korea among other countries, who will be tele-tracked.

The chief minister said that there are over 50,000 beds in the government sector and 100,000 in the private sector. He added that there was enough oxygen capacity and over 6 million vaccination doses which would suffice to carry the same tempo in inoculation.

Karnataka has so far administered 53.9 million first dose and 50.3 million second doses, according to data from Cowin. Over 1.6 million booster or precautionary doses have been administered so far.

Bommai said that the PM has also asked that a fire audit be conducted on all major and prominent hospitals across the state. The state government will also increase its oxygen generating capacity by 1100 metric tonnes.