The number of COVID-19 positive cases and the consequent number of containment zones have seen a slight increase. However, this is the result of enhanced surveillance and increase in testing, claimed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) health officials.
According to the COVID-19 war room reports, there were three active containment zones (with less than five positive cases) on May 2, four zones on May 3. The number of active containment zones increased to eight on May 4.
Similarly, on May 2, 103 positive cases were reported, while 100 were reported on May 3. On May 4, 142 positive cases were reported. On May 5, the number of active containment zones was nine, positive cases 171, and the number of tests 10,121.
BBMP’s Special Commissioner (Health) K.V. Thrilokchandra told The Hindu that the increase in cases could be attributed to stringent contact tracing and enhanced surveillance measures that are in place.
The civic body was also proactively testing. He said that the civic body had increased the number of tests over the past three days. This is also reflected in the war room reports, which show that on May 2, 2,645 persons were tested. On May 3, 5,973 persons were tested, while on May 4, 6,588 persons were tested.
‘Encouraged testing’
Many senior citizens who have been visiting the primary health centres to get the precautionary dose are reportedly being asked to get tested for COVID-19. A senior citizen from Malleswaram claimed that though he did not have any travel history or symptoms, the PHC staff asked him to undergo RAT. “I was told that I would be able to get the precautionary dose only then,” he said.
However, BBMP’s Chief Health Officer Balasundar said that no instruction had been given to the PHC with regard to mandatory testing. He stated that PHCs were currently administering precautionary dose only to those aged above 60. Those over 60 years and with co-morbid conditions are only “encouraged” to get tested, he maintained.
Most number of cases
Meanwhile, the war room reports also show that the most number of cases in the city are being reported in Bellandur ward, followed by Hagadur, Doddanekkundi and Varthuru wards.
The health official attributed the high detected rate in Bellandur and few other wards to travel history. Concurring, Mr. Thrilokchandra said that most of those who had tested positive had some sort of domestic travel history, while stating that there was no particular trend per se as of now.
Interestingly, most of the positive cases that have been detected are asymptomatic. According to Balasundar, nearly 98% of those who have tested positive were asymptomatic, while other had very mild symptoms. However, the civic body had upped the surveillance in Mahadevapura, C.V. Raman Nagar and Bengaluru South Assembly constituencies, he said.
