BBMP attributes drop in daily Covid tests to festival season

Daily Covid tests dropped from 1.9 lakh in August last week to 1.1 lakh in September second week, which authorities blamed on the festival season.

The BBMP said the number of daily tests dropped from 3.92 lakh tests two weeks ago to 2.79 lakh last week due to the festival season, which saw more resistance for testing.

"The overall average cases per day has remained low, which meant lower targeted testing of contacts,” BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) D Randeep said.

“There is some resistance for testing among those vaccinated since vaccination coverage is 80 per cent (first dose). We are discouraging too much random non-targeted testing as it may not lead to proper detection of cases.”

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BBMP's Chief Health Officer (Public Health) Dr Vijendra B K said no swab collectors had taken leave owing to the festival season. "A drop in the number of cases is leading to lesser contacts, and hence tests are fewer,” Vijendra said.

“As of now cases are low because transmissibility rate has come down, (i.e.) reproduction number (expected number of cases directly generated by one case) is less than one. Also, seropositivity rate in Bengaluru district is high, almost 70 to 75 per cent, and vaccination coverage for the first dose is high,” he added, pointing out that the drop in tests during the festival is only nominal.

State-wide, tests fell from 11.5 lakh done a fortnight ago to 9.84 lakh done last week.

State Health Commissioner Dr K V Thrilok Chandra said: "Footfall has thinned at hospitals due to the festival. Symptomatic patients must visit the hospital for tests to happen.”

Chandra said swab collectors were not on leave and there was no shortage of test kits.

State nodal officer Dr C N Manjunath said hospitals continue to strictly test patients before any procedure despite the general drop in testing.

"Patients' attenders are also being tested, if symptomatic. Test kits are in surplus. In regions like Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kalaburagi in North Karnataka where municipal elections were held, ramping up testing is necessary,” Dr Manjunath said.

He said officials should undertake targeted testing in markets post-festival.

Testing should also be done compulsorily in micro containment zones in villages and in a five-kilometre radius of a cluster.

The state has mandated testing for international travellers from select countries in airports.

It has also set district-wise paediatric testing targets, besides testing students in medical colleges during the incubation period if they are a primary contact.

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