BENGALURU: Between December 25 and 31, the state identified 14,948 primary contacts for 3,983 active COVID-19 patients, as per the state COVID-19 War Room data. Some districts are able to trace more primary contacts (PCs) per patient, a crucial process that helps test and isolate infected individuals, more so in the light of the Omicron variant spreading.
These districts include Bengaluru Rural (10.52 PCs per patient), Chamarajanagar (12.83 PCs), Dharwad (15.43), Shivamogga (10.23) and Yadgir (11).
However, other districts, especially Bengaluru Urban, are tracing a fewer number of PCs per patient. In the capital, there are only 3.25 primary contacts per patient, during these six days. This is despite Bengaluru having the highest number of active cases (2,959) in this time, and the most number of active staff (13,417) deployed for contact tracing, in Karnataka.
However, Thrilok Chandra, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health), said the figures are not correct. "Aside from RR Nagar and West zones, the remaining zones are tracing 8 to 9 contacts per COVID-19 patient. Even in these two zones, we are increasing the contacts from today. We have the required number of people to carry out contact tracing," Thrilok added.
Even lower than Bengaluru's figures are Belagavi with 2.94, Ballari with 1.65, Chikkamagaluru with 1.47, Hassan with 1.9, Kodagu with 1.27, Mandya with 0.02 and Mysuru with 2.69 PCs per patient. In these six days, 10,915 secondary contacts per patient have been identified in the state. There have also been 2,615 COVID-19 patients with nil contacts, 2,131 of whom are from Bengaluru alone.
Recently, the Karnataka government ordered that to prevent the third COVID-19 wave, contacts must be identified within 24 hours. Primary contacts must quarantine at home for seven days and are best tested on the first and eighth day.