Deaths on the rise, but still mortality rate sliding
BENGALURU: While Karnataka is witnessing a steady drop in the Covid-19 mortality rate, the daily deaths being reported have been relatively on the higher side lately. While the third wave began in the state (January 1), deaths were in single digits until January 14 when 14 deaths were reported, after which there is a noticeable increase in the number of deaths reported per day.
The state saw 70 deaths, the highest number, reported on Saturday, while Sunday saw the second highest single-day fatality figure of 68. Health department data shows that of the 68 deaths reported on Sunday, only 29 died on Saturday or Sunday, while the rest are fatalities that occurred earlier but have been reported late to be included in the tabulation.
Health officials also pointed out that in many cases, patients have died due to non-Covid-19 causes, for which they have been admitted to hospitals. On admission, they are tested for Covid-19 as per protocol. Many among the dead are those who have tested positive and listed as Covid-19 patients, and their deaths get included under Covid-19.Also, most of the mortalities are elders with comorbidities, including Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) cases.
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However, as per health department data, the state has witnessed a consistent drop in its mortality rate. It started the third wave with a mortality rate of 1.27 per cent, but as on Sunday, the rate dipped to 1.02 per cent -- just decimal points shy of health department’s aim of bringing the rate below the 1 per cent mark.
The state’s Covid-19 death toll reached 38,942, of which Bengaluru alone accounts for 16,581, which is 42.5 per cent of the total deaths in the state due to the pandemic. However, Bengaluru has already seen its mortality rate go below the 1 per cent mark, standing at 0.98 per cent on Sunday.
The state’s discharges as well as fresh cases reported lower numbers compared to those in the past few days -- 28,264 Covid cases on Sunday against 29,244 discharges, while the figures were 33,337 cases against 69,9902 discharges the previous day. The reduced figures on Sunday saw the state’s active cases drop by a mere margin of 0.41 per cent, while the drop was as big as 12.68 per cent and 12.15 per cent over the past two days, respectively. K’taka’s active cases dropped from 2,52,132 to 2,51,054 on Sunday.