Omicron: Experts underline need for COVID- appropriate behaviour

With all the eight Omicron-infected cases in Karnataka being breakthrough infections (all were fully vaccinated), COVID-19 experts in the State have yet again underlined the importance of COVID-appropriate behaviour.

While asserting that the vaccine had helped in preventing disease severity in all these patients, experts said following proper COVID protocols should become a routine habit for people.

V. Ravi, nodal officer for genomic confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 in Karnataka, said: “There is more to COVID than the virus. We are looking only at the virus. But who is facilitating transmission? People are responsible for it. The best weapon against the virus is COVID-appropriate behaviour,” he said.

Asserting that we should not repeat the mistakes committed before the second wave, Dr Ravi said: “It is vital that people avoid congregations and crowding in closed spaces. We should not resort to behaviour that facilitates transmission.”

C.N. Manjunath, nodal officer for labs and testing in the State’s COVID-19 task force, said the next four weeks are crucial. “We are seeing a similar pattern that was observed weeks before the onset of the first and second waves. With Omicron evading vaccine-induced immunity too, COVID-appropriate behaviour is the best defence against the virus,” he said.

New cases

Karnataka on Friday reported 238 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total to 30,01,792. Bengaluru Urban reported 153 cases and two deaths.

With three deaths, the toll rose to 38,282. This is apart from 29 deaths of patients due to non-COVID-19 reasons.

As many as 317 persons were discharged on Friday, taking the total recoveries to 29,56,405. The State now has 7,076 active patients.

While the positivity rate for the day touched 0.20%, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) touched 1.26%.

As many as 1,17,058 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, including 96,569 RT-PCR tests. With this, the total number of tests rose to 5,50,93,486.

COVID-19 in Karnataka on December 16

Cases: 238

Deaths: 3

Discharges: 317

Tests: 1,17,058

Vaccinations: 4,44,662

Test Positivity Rate: 0.20%

Case Fatality Rate: 1.26%