BBMP falls short of Covid-19 testing targets in nearly all zones

A recent government review has found that the Covid-19 testing being done by the BBMP is falling short of targets in nearly all zones.

BBMP officials have attributed the shortfall to the continuing hesitancy among the public.

Testing rates differ among the two sets of data made available to DH, one from the weekend and one during the weekday. BBMP officials described the weekend as challenging in terms of testing.

As per the data, on Saturday (February 13), the Palike’s testing met only 78.39% of the intended target. The lowest testing figures were in Dasarahalli, whose RT-PCR testing amounted to 35.10% of the target total.

The next worst zone for RT-PCR testing was Yelahanka Zone, where testing was only 53.13% of the target, followed by Bommanahalli Zone where testing equated to 56.37% of the target total.

On the flip side, some zones registered more than the target requirements, including RR Nagar Zone, which recorded 121.49% of testing requirements, while South Zone recorded 107.77% of the target. However, zonal health officer Dr Suresh Rudrappa said Dasarahalli was not necessarily missing its targets.

“On weekends, we find it difficult to get people to come forward. However, in general, fear of testing positive still persists among people even though the vaccines are here. In fact, there is widespread vaccine hesitancy as well,” he said.

As per BBMP data, the zone has a target of 384 tests per day.

On Saturday, it carried out just 159 tests. Weekday data showed improvement. On Monday (February 15), for instance, the zone managed to test 342 individuals, which is nevertheless about 10.9% short of the target.

In fact, all zones fell short by an average of 10.2% during the weekdays. Although a total of 23,135 tests were to be carried out on February 15, only 20,564 tests were conducted.

Reduced testing generally equates to a lower number of cases being found; experts have previously said.

One reason why some zones are lagging behind in testing is because they do not necessarily have access to a large sample size, added a zonal officer in Bengaluru who did not want to be named.

“For example, RR Nagar Zone has access to a large floating population from the Yeshwantpur railway station, and this is helping the zone to meet its daily targets,” the official said.

Worst-hit wards

Official data also revealed that Bengaluru city recorded 7,554 cases and 60 deaths over the last 30 days.

Ten worst-hit wards alone accounted for 561 cases in just a four-day period, from February 11 to 14.

These include Suddaguntepalya with 76 cases, Hagadur 66, Horamavu 62, Jnanabharathi, HSR Layout and Begur wards with 52 cases each, Doddanekkundi with 51, and Varthur, Hoodi and Bellandur with 50 cases each.

In fact, six of the 10 worst-hit wards are in Mahadevapura Zone.

A BBMP official in Mahadevapura Zone said that a high transient population was to blame for the continued presence of the disease in the zone.