Covid positivity rate among children low during third wave: Govt data

Karnataka health department said that since it was opined that the third wave could predominantly affect children, the department has been mandated to conduct at least 2% of the tests on children.

Bengaluru: Even though children were feared to be the most affected during the third wave of Covid-19, the positivity rate among children (0-18) has been less than that of the second wave, showed data from the Karnataka Covid war room.

According to the data, the ratio of positivity among children was 7.0% on January 22. (HT Archives)

According to the data, the ratio of positivity among children was 7.0% on January 22 . On December 21 and November 21 last year, the positivity rates were 0.22% and 0.23%, respectively. In comparison, positivity rate on May 21 (during the peak of the second wave) was 24.61%. The state’s positivity rate among adults on January 22 was 15.13%. On December 21 and November 21, the figures were 0.51% and 0.39%, respectively.

Karnataka health department said that since it was opined that the third wave could predominantly affect children, the department has been mandated to conduct at least 2% of the tests on children. “Out of total tests conducted between December 1 and January 20, 29% of the tests are conducted on children. We are also conducting random RAT tests in schools, colleges, restaurants once every 15 days,” read a statement.

On Saturday, Karnataka recorded 60 million Covid-19 tests, said state health and family welfare minister Dr K Sudhakar, adding that now the state has about 268 testing facilities, including 99 government and 169 private labs.

Karnataka has tested 60,114,815 samples so far, including 11,412,162 Rapid Antigen Test and 48,702,653 RT-PCR tests. While 14,196,065 samples were tested in 2020, as many as 42,391,357 samples were tested in 2021 and so far 3,527,393 tests have been conducted in 2022, he said.

“Testing plays a vital role in this battle against the pandemic. Karnataka has always been aggressive in testing and tracking and it has been one of our cornerstones in this right against Covid. Karnataka has now achieved another milestone by crossing 6 crore tests,” Sudhakar said.

“We have set up 3,678 (3,102 government and 666 private) swab collection centres -- one each for every 20,000 population. We have labs in government hospitals, medical colleges and also private hospitals. Initially, we had only 10-12 government labs with Covid testing facility, which has now increased to 57. With 108 NA Extractors and 139 RT-PCR machines, we have the capacity to test 120,800 samples per day in government facilities,” read a statement from the minister’s office.

Meanwhile, minister for primary and secondary education BC Nagesh clarified that, unlike last year, there will not be any promotions and grace marks on the account of Covid-19 this year. The minister said the situation was different during the previous academic year, as students and schools were facing problems with technology.

“Most of the schools in the state have completed 70% of the curriculum. In order to assist the students, 30% curriculum had been pruned down this year. Experts expect the coronavirus pandemic to substantially reduce by the last week of February or the first week of March. SSLC exams will be held from March last week to April 11. Depending on the situation prevailing then, a suitable decision will be taken,” said the minister.