Up to 4,500 Covid-19 patients untraceable in Bengaluru; BBMP deploys DCPs

The BBMP has decided to rope in Deputy Commissioners of Police to trace ‘missing’ Covid-19 patients.

Palike officials were finding it tough to track those who tested positive due to incorrect contact details. Adding to their woes, wrong addresses furnished by those coming for testing made it even more difficult to trace the patients and their primary contacts.

According to BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad, 4,000 to 4,500 patients are still missing in Bengaluru.

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“They may have switched off their mobile phones or would have given wrong contact details and incorrect mobile numbers. This has made it almost impossible for us to trace them,” Prasad said on the sidelines of a briefing session for KAS officers, who will be deputed to various Assembly constituencies as Covid in-charge officials.

Prasad said each zone will be attached to a DCP-rank officer, whose team will trace the patients based on their last mobile tower location.

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“We are also considering generating a one-time password (OTP) on the registered mobile number at the time of testing. The OTP will ensure that they give us the right number,” Prasad said.