Coronavirus: Recovery rate in Mumbai-Karnataka region better than state average

With sharp hike in Covid-19 cases across the State, seven districts of Mumbai-Karnataka region also have seen huge increase in positive cases in the month of July, but the overall recovery rate has been better than the state average.

When the third week of July month ended, the total number of Covid-19 cases in the region stood at 7,458 by Sunday evening, which was 11.69% of the total cases in the State (63,772). When the recovery rate (discharges from hospitals) was 36.16% at the State-level, it was 44.77% in the region.

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When the month of June ended, the region's share in State's total Covid-19 cases was 9.24%. State's recovery rate was 51.94%, and this rate in the region was 58.26%. Fifteen days back from then (on June 15), recovery rate at the State-level was 57.32%, and it stood at 70.95% in Mumbai-Karnataka region. The region's share in total cases in the State then was 13.69%.

An analysis of the data compiled by the Health & Family Welfare Department shows that, in the region, the best recovery rate is in Vijayapur district (65.17%), followed by Haveri and Uttara Kannada districts. Only Dharwad district has low overall recovery rate (33.13%) in comparison with the State average, as a large number of cases came in recent days.

July haunts

By June end, a total of 1,409 Covid-19 cases were reported in the region, with highest cases (345) in Dharwad district itself. By July 19, this number in the region rose to 7,458, with above 2,000 cases in Dharwad district, above 1,000 cases each in Vijayapur and Uttara Kannada districts.

With so many new cases, overall recovery rate in the region also came down from 58.26% to 44.77% in this period. The region now has more than 4,000 active cases, and over 175 Covid deaths are reported so far. Dharwad district alone has more than 1,300 active cases, and Covid deaths were 62.

Dharwad district is under a 10-day lockdown at present, and its usefulness in efforts to contain Covid-19 spread is expected to be visible in coming days.

'Spike came early'

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil told DH that such a spike in Covid-19 cases in the district was expected in August, but it came early.

"Every district is experiencing such variations, and it is the behaviour of the pandemic. The lockdown will help us to make better efforts to improve prevention and treatment facilities. According to experts, the number of cases would gradually come down, after reaching the peak," he said.

Covid-19 cases are more in Hubballi city, compared to Dharwad, due to more mobility, commercial activities and thick population, Patil added.