BENGALURU: There is no cause for alarm in the Covid-19 situation in Karnataka. The positivity rate, hospitalisation and death rate are very low, Karnataka’s Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) said, after analysing Covid data of the past 15 days from across the state, including BBMP limits.
However, TAC will continue to monitor how the Covid situation evolves in the state in the coming weeks.
Dr MK Sudarshan, chairman of the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), said, “Based on the analysis of Covid data from January 1 to 15, the situation in the state is fairly good and there is nothing to worry about. The number of new cases, test positivity rate, hospitalization and death rate have remained low. These are the main parameters that will let us know if there is something startling.”
The total positivity rate for the past 15 days was 0.3 to 0.4 per cent, and no death was reported, except that of a 65-year-old woman from Koppal on January 17, he said.
The positivity rate of international passengers screened on arrival at Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports, too, is 10 per cent. The test positivity rate is around 0.3 per cent at airports. Samples of positive patients have been sent for genomic sequencing and results are awaited to check if there is any variant of concern. All variants detected till now in the state are part of the Omicron family, he said.
However, we will watch out and keep monitoring the daily cases reported, to check if there is any sudden spike, he said. On special vaccination camps that will be organised to administer booster doses, Dr Sudarshan said they should focus primarily on the elderly and high-risk groups like the ones on dialysis, with liver disease, cancer and co-morbid conditions.