Covid-19: Asymptomatic tests higher than symptomatic tests in Karnataka

Over the past week, there have been 19,149 symptomatic tests, and 4,26,385 asymptomatic tests

Though the government has instructed the districts to follow a syndromic approach for coronavirus testing, that is testing symptomatic people over asymptomatic ones, figures show a higher test percentage of asymptomatic people, as officials are testing interstate travellers from Maharashtra and Kerala irrespective of their symptoms.

Over the past week, there have been 19,149 Covid-19 symptomatic tests, and 4,26,385 asymptomatic tests. Despite testing a huge number of asymptomatic people, the positivity rate was 0.8% whereas, among the symptomatic, it was 2.7%. Symptomatic patients are more likely to transmit the virus compared to asymptomatic people, experts say.

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Bangalore Urban (including BBMP) has over the past week tested 2,17,795 asymptomatic people out of which 2,295 tested Covid-19 positive, which is a 1.1% positivity.

Dr Srinivas GA, District Health Officer, Bangalore Urban, said, "The asymptomatic tests are high because we're testing -- apart from interstate travellers from two states -- hotel workers, school students, college students, factory workers, and restaurant workers, as per protocol, despite them being asymptomatic."

Dharwad has tested the second-highest number of asymptomatic people over the past week with 13,769 tests out of which 69 tested Covid-19 positive, which is a 0.5% positivity rate.

Dharwad District Health Officer Dr Rajendra M Doddamani, told DH, "We are receiving many travellers from other States. Swabs are taken at our old and new bus stations, railway stations, schools, colleges and students who've come from other States despite them being asymptomatic. They can infect the elderly at their homes."

Mysuru is another district with a high number of asymptomatic test numbers with 13,281 tests out of which 103 tested Covid-19 positive which is a 0.8% positivity rate.