Bengaluru sees biggest single-day spike with 19 coronavirus cases

Bengaluru saw the biggest Covid-19 spike in a single day, with 19 new cases being reported from the Hongasandra and Padarayanapura clusters in the city on Friday.

With this, there are now 21 cases in Hongasandra — who are all migrant labourers and their contacts — and 24 in Padarayanapura.

The Hongasandra cases, including the 11 who tested positive on Friday, are contacts of P419, a worker from Bihar whose source of infection is unknown.

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The 24 cases in Padarayanapura are contacts of three patients with a travel history to New Delhi. “From these three cases — P167, P158 and P181 — the total number of cases in Padarayanapura has gone up to 24,” BBMP Special Commissioner Lokesh M said.

P167 is a 29-year-old male; P158 is a 28-year-old man isolated at a Mysuru hospital; and P181 is a 27-year-old woman. All have travel history to Delhi.

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A total of 248 people have been quarantined and their samples taken for testing in Padarayanapura. These include 56 primary contacts and 192 secondary contacts. In Hongasandra, 185 primary contacts and 60 secondary contacts have been evacuated, quarantined and their samples taken.

P419 puzzle

Dr Krishnappa B K, Konanakunte PHC medical officer, who is part of the contact tracing team, said, “We have tried to sweet-talk the labourers into getting the source of the infection, but made no headway.”

Dr Srinivas GA, district health officer, Bengaluru Urban, said the only information available about P419 is that he suffers from SARI (severe acute respiratory illness).

M Ramakrishna, Joint Commissioner, Bommanahalli, who is spearheading containment operations at Hongasandra, said the results of 104 are awaited.

Minister S Suresh Kumar, in charge of media briefings, said, “We will take action at all construction sites in the city.” He, however, did not mention the nature of action.