Covid-19: Rising positivity rate worries state government

Team Udayavani, May 5, 2022, 8:34 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka is recording a rise in the COVID cases and the positivity rate (1.50 per cent) is worrying the state government.

It may be recalled that Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020.

Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department.

In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

The state recorded the highest number of Covid deaths in May, 2021. A total of 15,523 deaths were reported during that time and on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data.

Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30.

The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths.

The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2023, though infection rate was high, no significant number of fatalities were reported.

The maximum death cases reported during the third wave was 81 on February 2. The total number of deaths in the state till April 30 recorded is 40,059.

However, presently, though there is a spike in Covid positivity, only 11 people have been hospitalised. One patient is on a ventilator, another is admitted to the ICU.

The positivity rate in the state is 1.50 per cent and 107 new Covid cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours. The new cases in Bengaluru stood at 100. The total active cases in the state stood at 1,815.

(With IANS inputs)