Covid testing to go up in south Karnataka districts

Karnataka, on an average, has been conducting 1.36 lakh Covid tests over the past 15 days.

However, the state set a daily testing target of 2.8 lakh on January 12 for the next three days.

Bengaluru alone (BBMP plus Bangalore Urban) is required to test 1.2 lakh samples.

However, state nodal officer for Covid testing Dr C N Manjunath has cautioned of practical difficulties on the field.

While 1.12 lakh samples will be tested with rapid antigen method, 1.68 lakh samples will be tested with RT-PCR method.

“We have set a target of at least two lakh tests per day and we will increase it further. About one lakh tests are being done in Bengaluru. About 265 labs are operational in the state,” said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

Health commissioner D Randeep said, “The 2.8 lakh target is only for the next three days in view of the Mekedatu padayatra as there were congregations in south Karnataka districts.”

The idea is that the congregations could have led to more asymptomatic infections, he said.

“Alternative arrangements will be made only in these districts for the next three days so that the testing infrastructure is not burdened. These districts can take the help of local private diagnostic labs too,” Randeep said.

Manjunath said, “Ground realities may not allow us to meet targets. Increasingly, healthcare staff are testing positive and the labs are not uniformly distributed across the state. Sample collection and transportation may take time.”