JOIN US10 more Covid-19 cases reported at Bellandur apartment in Bengaluru
A day after municipal officials reported the presence of 10 Covid cases at an apartment complex in Bellandur, officials added a further 10 cases to the cluster.
According to data from the BBMP, the new cases were discovered after swab samples were collected from the apartment complex on Monday.
Ground zero for the cluster is SJP Watermark Apartments in Bellandur, which has 504 apartment units, set within nine towers. The BBMP clarified that 470 apartment units are currently occupied, with 1,055 residents, revising its estimate of 1,500 on Monday.
The 10 new cases were found among 501 samples sent for RT-PCR testing on Monday. The Palike clarified that results have been returned for a total of 511 people at the apartment.
On Tuesday, a further 554 samples were collected from untested residents. “The results of these are expected on Wednesday,” said BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad.
“Among the positive cases are six people in their 60s and 70s. The remaining four range in the 38 to 45 age group,” said R Venkatachalapathi, Joint Commissioner, BBMP, Mahadevapura Zone. He added that all of the infected individuals found on Tuesday do not have symptoms.
Venkatachalapathi added that this wrapped up testing at the apartment complex and the results of 554 people tested on Tuesday would be disclosed on Wednesday.
According to Mahadevapura zonal officials, most of the apartment residents move with the IT crowd. Some had a history of travel to Kerala. The BBMP has been turning up cases there since February 15. On the first day, four initial cases were found, followed by another four on February 20 and two on February 22.
No other clusters: Officials
Zonal officials denied that the Palike had found similar clusters at other apartments in the Mahadevapura zone, saying that usual testing was unearthing only a handful of unconnected cases.
Data from the BBMP War Room consistently shows Mahadevapura topping daily Covid cases since November. The latest information shows that Bellandur ward, for example, stands second for the highest number of cases over the last 10 days.