Test positivity rate continues to be high in Mangaluru taluk

With an average of over 100 COVID-19 cases and a test positivity rate (TPR) of 3.17 %, Mangaluru taluk has registered a high number of new COVID-19 cases among the five taluks in Dakshina Kannada for the week ended on January 8.

The highest number of 267 new cases was reported in Mangaluru taluk on Saturday when 4,431 samples were tested and the TPR stood at 6.03%. The taluk reported 188 new cases and a TPR of 4.26 % on Friday and 98 new cases and a TPR of 2.24 % on Thursday, 103 new cases and a TPR of 2.72% on Wednesday, 66 cases and a TPR of 2.11% on Tuesday, 46 new cases and a TPR of 1.89% on Monday last, while it was 53 new cases and a TPR of 1.59 on January 2.

The average TPR in Bantwal, Belthangady, Puttur and Sullia taluks for the week ranged between 0.08% and 0.36%. New cases have been in single digits every day during the week in these taluks, except in Bantwal taluk where 12 and 11 new cases were reported on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

District COVID Nodal Officer H. Ashok said that nearly one-third of the new cases are coming from educational institutions. “As these students move around a lot, it is difficult to find their primary and secondary contacts,” he said. Therefore, when positive cases are reported among students, the whole hostel block where they are staying is declared as containment zone and RT-PCR tests of all residents are carried out.

While most of the new patients are asymptomatic, there are only a few with mild symptoms. All the patients are recovering in isolation and quarantine and there are no cases needing admission in ICU and requiring other advanced facilities in hospital, Dr. Ashok said.

Of the total of 1.17 lakh COVID-19 cases between March 2020 and January 8, 2022, 23,613 cases are in the 21-30 age category, followed by 20,860 in 31-40 age category, 18,042 41-50 age category, 16,628 51-60 age category and 11,579 in the 61-70 age category.

As many as 34,441 new cases and 740 deaths were reported during the first wave between March 2020 and February 2021. There were 82,902 new cases and 964 deaths between March 1, 2021 and January 8, 2022, according to the figures provided by the District Health and Family Welfare Department.

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