Covid-19 death rate declined by 0.6%: Rohini Sindhuri

The Covid-19 death rate has declined by 0.6% in Mysuru district and the district administration has decided to increase the number of tests and has promised of giving reports within 24 hours, after Vijayadashami.

Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri on Friday, said that since the last 25 days, Covid-related fatality rate has come down in Mysuru district by 0.6%. "The death rate has declined to 1.5% from 2.1%. It is decided to ramp up Covid tests and reports will be given within 24 hours of swab collection after Vijayadashami," she said.

"The swab tests are conducted in only two laboratories in Mysuru and they have a capacity to test only 1,500 samples per day. The remaining are sent to labs in Bengaluru. It takes five days to get the report from Bengaluru," she said.

"In order to ramp up testing and to give reports within 24 hours, it is decided to facilitate a 'Liquid handling system' at MMC&RI. With the new system, 4,000 swabs can be tested in Mysuru and reports can be given within 24 hours," she said.

The DC said that at present, two-type of tests -- Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) -- are being conducted.

"Although test reports will be available within 20 minutes in RAT, the results are not 100% accurate, as it will not detect the virus, if the virus load is minimal. Thus, the government has directed to conduct 90% RT-PCR test. But, we need to wait for five days to get the result, at present," she said.