Karnataka records jump in Covid cases

Bengaluru Karnataka recorded 1,135 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases on Monday, going past the four-digit figure for the first time since Christmas last year and threatening a relapse into the health crisis

Bengaluru

HT Image

Karnataka recorded 1,135 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases on Monday, going past the four-digit figure for the first time since Christmas last year and threatening a relapse into the health crisis. Bengaluru recorded 710 new Covid-19 on Monday, registering almost a 30% increase from the day before. Six more people succumbed to the infection in the state on Monday, taking the toll to 12,403.

K Sudhakar, state’s health & family welfare minister on Tuesday said that strict measures will be implemented if government-mandated guidelines on safety are not followed by the public. “The chief minister has given a clear message regarding this. Covid-19 cases are increasing in the state. There is (a) spike in the cases in the neighbouring states as well. The CM has issued strict instructions to follow guidelines, otherwise (the) government has no option but to take tougher steps,” Sudhakar said.

He added that the government was printing advertisements to create awareness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a meeting with chief ministers on the escalating Covid-19 situation in the country on Wednesday.

While the technical advisory committee (TAC) on Covid-19 in Karnataka told the government that the spike was an indication of a possible second wave of infection, the administration is yet to acknowledge this as official.

According to the daily bulletin of the state health department, Bengaluru accounted for 6,832 out of the total 9,428 active cases across Karnataka.

Experts and medical practitioners, however, believe that a high number of asymptomatic cases was likely to result in lower than actual positives in the state.

“There is definitely an element of underestimation because many are asymptomatic,” said Dr C.N Manjunath, Director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bengaluru, and a member of the state’s technical advisory committee on Covid-19.

The rise in Covid-19 cases has also been attributed to the large public gatherings like marriages, political rallies and protests with no safety precautions like wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing, experts and lawmakers said.

A total of 33,251 persons have been fined for not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing across Karnataka, including 11,624 in Bengaluru alone.

Dr Manjunath said that contact tracing efforts have taken a backseat in the last few months.

The health minister said that at least 20 primary and secondary contacts have to be traced for every infected person. However, according to a performance review by the state Covid-19 war room, till Monday evening, Karnataka has recorded an average of 4.5 contacts per patient in the last seven days with just 0.1 contacts per patient in Bengaluru.

Several other districts like Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dakshina Kannada, Tumakuru and Bidar have also registered a spike in cases.

Karnataka has made it mandatory for those coming from Maharashtra and Kerala to produce Covid-19 negative certificates as a measure to contain the migration of new cases.

“Spike in the cases is due to (an) increase in the number of cases at bordering districts,” Sudhakar said.

The government has also emphasised on the need to accelerate the vaccination drive.

The health minister said that primary hospitals were instructed to conduct at least 100 tests per day and 500 tests per day was the target for general hospitals.