HUBBALLI: The number of COVID-19 positive cases has been declining for the last two weeks in Dharwad district. Though there are around 2,000 tests being conducted every day, the positivity percentage is 5.8 from last week.
Dharwad district is one of the badly infected districts in the state and Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities contributed the majority of positive cases from March itself. Till October 4, the district reported 17,913 cases in which 505 people breathed their last. There are 2,574 active cases in the district who are getting treatment at different hospitals.
A senior health official said the district has reached the peak between July and mid-September. The positivity rate in the district peaked with 15 percent somewhere in the month of August.
District Health Officer Yashwant Madinkar said they are conducting RTPCR and Rapid Antigen tests and have given a target of 2,150 tests per day. They are reaching targets and have not reduced the number of tests conducted. Two days ago the government supplied additional 15,000 RAT kits to conduct more and more tests in the district.
Epidemiologist Dr Dattatreya Bant said the hospitals and health department should conduct more tests to trace and treat coronavirus patients and to prevent spreading. Until the vaccination comes, each and everyone should wear a facemask, maintain social distance, and wash hands with soap or sanitizer.
“These days people are not serious about the coronavirus pandemic and roaming carefree and also avoiding tests and hospitals which is not good. Even the administrative body including health workers are losing interest in COVID-19 duty. The administrative officers should act strictly and make masks compulsory,” he said.