Coronavirus: Random testing in Padarayanapura unviable, says BBMP's chief health officer

The BBMP’s sudden decision to end random testing in Padarayanapura from June 1 is in accordance with the expert committee’s advice and not due to a paucity of testing kits, officials revealed.

“The expert committee comprising Dr V Ravi of Nimhans and Dr M K Sudarshan, chairman of the state’s advisory committee on Covid-19, suggested that the random testing was not viable as the randomly tested over 1,000 samples yielded 10 positive results,” said Dr B K Vijendra, chief health officer, Public Health, BBMP.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The civic body’s special commissioner (finance) Dr Lokesh, the man charged with overseeing the containment measures in Padarayanapura, said the random testing is to determine the extent of the disease’s spread. “But we did not get many cases,” he said. Since the area is contained, the government suggested that we need not continue random sampling anymore.” The BBMP had started random testing in Padarayanapura on April 26.

Initially, they sent patients to Victoria Hospital or CV Raman General Hospital, Indiranagar, for sample collection. On May 14, the sample collection was done in JJ Nagar General Hospital run by the BBMP.

Before May 14, 214 samples were tested, in which seven tested positive. Later, when 853 samples were tested, another three tested positive. In all, of 1,067 random samples, 10 tested positive in Padarayanapura.

Without evidence of a community spread, the Palike has decided to test only symptomatic, SARI and ILI residents of the area, besides primary and secondary contacts, on day 12 of quarantine. There are 251 primary contacts and 394 secondary contacts currently under quarantine in Padarayanapura.

“With a total of 68 cases, including one policeman and Padarayanapura ward corporator Imran Pasha, there are only four active cases currently,” said Dr Manoranjan Hegde, BBMP’s health officer, west zone. “On April 26, the BBMP started random testing and so far, 1,067 samples have been randomly tested. Only 10 tested positive out of these,” he added.

Nearly 16.03% of Bengaluru Urban’s 424 cases are from Padarayanapura. The area was sealed on April 10 and continues to be a containment zone.