Even as the COVID-19 fatality rate is progressively falling in Mysuru since the past few days, the number of mobile COVID-19 testing booths is set to go up soon, quickening the tests, with the Department of Health and Family Welfare getting the nod for operating 25 more mobile booths. With this, the booths’ numbers will go up from 35 to 55. This is in addition to 70 static test booths that are in operation across the district.
Also, with the reported delay in the delivery of Viral Transport Media (VTM) kits for COVID-19 sampling from the Health Department, the district administration has resolved to procure 20,000 such kits on its own and hand them over to the department.
This was decided at a meeting with the health authorities on COVID-19 management here by Rohini Sindhuri, who assumed charge as the Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday. She collected details about the COVID-19 situation with Mysuru being the second most affected district after Bengaluru and asked the health teams to work harder for fully containing the deaths.
Ms. Sindhuri gave permission for hiring lab technicians and data entry operators for the testing booths and told the officials to convene a meeting of the COVID-19 nodal officers at the earliest for working out strategies for flattening the curve.
Earlier, after visiting Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills in the morning, Ms. Sindhuri assumed charge as the Deputy Commissioner. B. Sharath, who had taken charge barely a month ago, has been transferred. He had earlier served as the DC of Kalaburagi district and had replaced Abhiram Sankar who got a Central posting.
Speaking to reporters, Ms. Sindhuri said Mysuru was reporting many cases and said she would take steSps for combating the pandemic. All precautions would be taken for the conduct of Mysuru Dasara next month amidst COVID-19, she said while expressing confidence of successfully organising the festivities.
As on Monday, Mysuru has 6,695 active cases out of 33,540 positive cases reported till date. So far, 26,121 patients had been discharged and 724 persons had died due to COVID-19 till Monday.
