Though the number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka has been steadily declining over the last few weeks, health experts have warned the government not to get complacent when it comes to testing. Despite this, around 25 of the 30 districts in the State have not met the testing targets that they were given over the last week.
The State, on an average, has met 98.9% of its testing targets but this is due to five districts that have exceeded their targets. Chikkamagaluru and Bengaluru Urban are among the districts that have conducted tests over and above their targets. Both these districts have achieved a testing percentage of 132%. Meanwhile, Bidar district is lagging behind in this area and has met only 46.5% of its testing targets.
Ramachandra R., Deputy Commissioner, Bidar, said that they will soon ramp up testing. “Now, we have been given the go ahead to conduct around 2,500 tests per day. Earlier, our target was around 600 tests per day. We are now able to conduct around 1,600 tests per day and plan to soon meet the target given by the Department of Health and Family Welfare,” he said. He added that they have received instructions to focus on college students and enrol them for tests. This comes in the wake of colleges reopening on November 17.
On an average, the State government has been attempting to conduct 1 lakh tests each day. So far as many as 1.1 crore tests have been conducted in the State since March. With the administration gearing up for a possible ‘second wave’ at the end of the year, doctors say that there is a need for all districts to conduct rigorous testing so that cases are detected early and primary and secondary contacts of patients are immediately quarantined and the spread is curtailed.
