BENGALURU: Perhaps for the first time, the Karnataka Government seems to acknowledge that there may be instances of community transmission of Covid-19 in the state. With an increase in the number of people with neither travel nor contact history testing positive, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar told TNIE that there could be cases of community spread, but it is not very notable.
“I wouldn’t say there is no community spread. But I will also not say that it is as ‘significant’ as in other states,” he stressed, when asked about the rising number of cases where the transmission source is yet to be traced.As on Thursday, of the cumulative 11,005 cases, the transmission source could not be traced in 1,817 instances, including 774 ILI and 225 SARI cases.
‘Govt will acknowledge untraceable sources’
As per Thursday’s numbers, the transmission source of a whopping 17.2 per cent of Covid-19 cases in Karnataka are unknown. The minister suggested that limitation of resources, in comparison to the surge in numbers, could be the best explanation for many cases continuing to be under contact tracing.“There is a huge surge in the number of cases and our staff have been working tirelessly without a break over the last 100 days. They have been struggling to trace contacts of each patient. But the numbers are overwhelming. It is only a delay,” the minister said.
He, however, added that despite all efforts, if the transmission source is untraceable, the State Government will acknowledge it. Sudhakar, who is currently under voluntary home quarantine after some members of his family tested positive for Covid-19, has been participating in meetings via video conference. “The main focus is on the contingency plan. I agree that we may have been a bit on the back foot as regard contact tracing, but we have tried our best in tracing each case. Despite that, there could have been shortcomings,” he added.
ITI-DRDO ventilators to aid fight against Covid
Upping the ante in the fight against Covid-19, Bengaluru-based PSU ITI and DRDO are jointly manufacturing portable ventilators, which will be tested at NIMHANS in Bengaluru and RR Hospital in New Delhi.