BENGALURU: In the middle of a raging second wave of the pandemic in Karnataka, the five Tibetan settlements have handled the surge rather well, in comparison to the rest of the State. Of the around 37,000 Tibetans living in exile in these five settlements two in Bylakuppe and one in Hunsur in Mysuru district, one each in Kollegal in Chamrajnagar district and Mundgod in Karwar district there are only 28 active Covid-positive cases currently.
“There are four active cases in Bylakuppe, five in Mundgod, 18 in Hunsur and one in Kollegal settlements as of now,” said Settlement Officer, Bylakuppe, Thupten Tsering. He is also holding the additional charge of chief representative, South Zone, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). “As on April 13, the two settlements in Bylakuppe ,with an estimated population of 19,000, had registered only 195 Covid-positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic last year. Out of these, there were five deaths and 186 were discharged. This year, we have had 14 cases in Bylakuppe out of which eight have been discharged.
We have lost two people aged above 80 to the virus. Out of the four active cases in the Bylakuppe settlements, two are from Mysuru and the other two are colleges students from Bengaluru,” added Tsering.
Explaining the control measures, which seem to have helped the Tibetans in Karnataka keep the second wave of the Novel Coronavirus in check, Tsering said that they did not open their monasteries inside the settlements for outsiders after the first lockdown was announced in March last year.
“We were planning to open them, but when we got the news of the second wave, we decided to keep them shut. They, however, are open to Tibetan monks and nuns,” he added. “Wearing masks is compulsory inside the settlements and most of our people, who are eligible for vaccine have been vaccinated.
Besides, the traditional practice among Tibetans of having a glass of hot water first thing in the morning has also helped in keeping the virus at bay, along with observing Covid appropriate behaviour,” said the Settlement Officer. The Tibetan community has been active on the vaccination front. “As on April 15, 3,101 Tibetans in Bylakuppe, 850 in Kollegal and 2,032 people in Mundgod settlements have been vaccinated,” added Tsering.