Now, Karnataka has more than 10,000 active Covid-19 cases
The highest single-day spike of 1,692 new cases was fueled by the state capital Bengaluru, which recorded 994 new cases
Bengaluru: Karnataka on Friday confirmed 1,692 new covid-19 positive cases on Friday making it the state's highest single day spike in new cases for the third day in a row.
The spike was fueled by the state capital Bengaluru, which recorded 994 new cases and adds to concerns about the surge in Karnataka’s growth capital and indications that the B.S.Yediyurappa-led state government may be forced to relapse into a partial lockdown to contain the spread of the virus
The government has already announced a total lockdown on all Sundays of the month but is yet to take any concrete measures to arrest the increase that threatens to shave off the edge it had gained in the covid-19 battle so far.
Total cases in Karnataka currently stands at 19,710 cases of which 10,608 are active.
Experts point to the lifting of the lockdown, disregard for social distancing and other safety measures as well as increase in influenza cases (due to onset of monsoon) as some of the reasons for the spike. However, the government has been scrambling to expand its inadequate healthcare infrastructure and is now depending on private hospitals and medical colleges to chip in to increase the number of beds.
Karnataka has squandered its gains and has fallen behind on contact tracing, one of the key steps to arrest the rate of infection. For the third consecutive day, the source of infection for all cases reported from India’s technology capital remains unknown, which indicates a full blown community transmission.
Karnataka’s medical education minister K. Sudhakar on Friday said that the state will take up hyperlocal management to contain the spread.
"Booth level task force committees will be formed and this will be the basic structural and functional unit for covid-19 management," he said in a statement. These committees, including about 8,800 electoral booths in Bengaluru alone, will include personnel from the civic and municipal administration, he said.
Though the numbers in Karnataka are still lower than several other big states in the country, the spike in recent days has changed the narrative, especially in the case of Bengaluru.
The government is also finalising guidelines that allows asymptomatic people to remain in home isolation. But the criteria makes it harder for those living with families or older people to avail themselves of this facility and be forced into inadequately equipped government hospitals and centres or pay hefty sums to get treated at private healthcare establishments.
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