Coastal Karnataka district reports 15 deaths, 1,006 new Covid-19 cases in single day

Karnataka: The capital city, Bengaluru with a population of 1.5 crore, is currently reporting the highest number of cases with 1,100 fresh infections and 39 deaths on Friday.

As many as 1,006 new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 15 fatalities have been reported on Friday alone in Dakshina Kannada, the coastal district of Karnataka, as reported in local media Prajavani. This district accounts for the second-highest number of cases in Karnataka after Bengaluru, according to a statistics released by the district administration.

Testing and surveillance have been intensified in the district and teams of medical workers from Mangaluru and the district health department have been sent to assess the situation. (Reuters file photo)

The capital city, Bengaluru with a population of 1.5 crore, is currently reporting the highest number of cases with 1,100 fresh infections and 39 deaths on Friday. Dakshina Kannada with a much smaller population of 14.25 lakh people recorded a higher positivity rate.

Testing and surveillance have been intensified in the district and teams of medical workers from Mangaluru and the district health department have been sent to assess the situation. The district office communiqué said that on Friday as many as 665 people recovered from the disease.

Dakshina Kannada reported 87,350 positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Out of the cumulative 87,350 positive cases, 79,395 have recovered, 6,931 are undergoing treatment and 1,024 people have died, officials in the health department said.

According to district health officer Dr. Kishore Kumar, “It is worrisome that Dakshin Kannada has recorded 10.07% positivity on Friday which is the highest in recent months." The district authorities have declared 23 containment zones of which seven are in Mangaluru city and eight in the hilly taluk of Buntwal.

Testing has been ramped up to reach 10,000 people every day on an average. The apartments and individual colonies have been targeted under the ‘ring surveillance method. Deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra said that the low and highrise buildings where positivity has been reported will be turned into containment zones.

As many as 50 houses in the vicinity of places with positive cases will also be brought under surveillance.