Despite a fall in Karnataka’s test positivity rate (TPR) in the last seven days, at least 15 districts still have TPR higher than the State’s seven-day average TPR of 4.97% prior to February 9. From a high TPR of 22.65% on January 24, TPR has reduced drastically and has been hovering around 5% for the past one week.
While three districts have a TPR of above 10%, in the remaining 12 districts it is hovering between 5% and 10%. At 10.38%, Shivamogga has the highest TPR followed by Kodagu with 10.27%. The scenario was different a day earlier (February 8) when Mysuru, Kodagu, Ballari, and Tumakuru recorded a seven-day average TPR of 11.41%, 11.04%, 10.86%, and 10.51% respectively, according to data from the State War Room.
As on February 9, Koppal, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Mysuru, and Belagavi have TPR ranging between 7% and 10%.
At 2.06%, the lowest TPR is in Dakshina Kannada followed by Yagdir, Davangere, Gadag, and Bengaluru Rural where it is 2.09%, 2.57%, 2.61%, and 2.71% respectively. The seven-day average TPR in Bengaluru Urban (including BBMP), which was the epicentre of the third wave, stood at 4.24% as on February 9. The daily TPR here reduced to 4% on Thursday. The State that did over two lakh tests daily till mid-January reduced the numbers to around 1.2 lakh daily following ICMR’s advisory on purposive testing.
According to the advisory, asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 patients need not be tested unless identified as high-risk based on age and comorbidities.
Also, asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalised for delivery, should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop. The advisory said no emergency procedure, including surgeries, should be delayed due to lack of a test. Besides, inter-State travellers also need not be tested.
M.K. Sudarshan, chairman of the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee, said Karnataka should continue the same momentum of testing till further instructions from the ICMR. “It is ideal to conduct around one lakh tests daily now when the third wave is waning. All symptomatic persons should be tested and 30% of the daily tests should be Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT). All flu and ILI/SARI cases should undergo rapid tests and only if negative should be tested through RTPCR,” he said.
Masks in cinema halls
Dr. Sudarshan said it is now essential to monitor the mandatory use of N95 masks by people going to multiplexes and cinema halls. “Cinema halls can become superspreading points if people do not follow the rules. As it is easy to identify N95 from other masks, those who go without these masks should not be allowed into the halls,” he said. “People should be aware of the potential superspreader events such as fairs, dharnas, festivals, and birthday parties, and not let their guard down at least till the TPR drops to less than 1%,” he added.
