JOIN USDemand for Covid booster doses increases in Bengaluru by over 60%
As the Covid-19 cases surged across the country, demand for booster doses of the vaccine saw a steep increase. Meanwhile, Bengaluru has also witnessed a massive surge in the number of booster doses that were administered in the past 15 days as compared to the early weeks of May 2022.
According to the data released by the central government, in Bengaluru Urban, 5,201 booster doses were administered between May 8 and May 22. However, over the next 15 days—between May 23 and June 6—8,355 booster doses were given, recording an increase of 60 per cent, as suggested by the Co-WIN data.
In the past 24 hours, out of the 3,714 fresh cases registered across the country, 230 were registered in Karnataka. The reason for this spike could be attributed to the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant.
This surge was recorded after the positivity rate increased to 1.92 per cent in the state, taking the number of active cases to 2,441. There could be a further rise in cases in Karnataka as the neighbouring states of Kerala and Maharashtra are showing significant spikes in Covid-19.
The Karnataka health department has taken cognizance of increased spread and is taking a slew of measures for containment. Experts, too, have suggested mandating masks again and conducting genome sequencing tests.
Earlier, CM Basavaraj Bommai had addressed the citizens and had asked them to avoid unnecessary panic and said the government would take adequate measures to curb the spread.