Karnataka: Covid-19 positivity rate low, experts say no sign of third wave

BENGALURU: In an indication that containment measures are working, the daily Covid-19 test positivity rate over the past three months – 108 days – has been less than 1% in Karnataka despite a significant increase in the number of tests being conducted daily. Currently, at least one lakh tests are conducted every day across the state.
The last time Karnataka reported a daily test positivity rate of more than 1% was on August 23.Since August 24, the daily positivity rate has remained less than 1% and the recovery rate is nearly 98.5% with more than 29.5 lakh of the close to three lakh people who contracted the infection since the pandemic broke in March 2020, recovering from the disease.
Data from the health and family welfare department shows the weekly positivity rate has been less than 1% for the past 114 days. The positivity rate for Thursday was 0.3%.
Weekly rate also down
After the horrors of the second wave of infection, the number of positive cases gradually declined from August onwards, health department authorities say. However, data with the state Covid-19 War Room shows that even as the state’s weekly positivity rate reduced to less than 1% by the end of September, the corresponding data was more than 1% in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi and Mysuru districts.
However, by the end of October, the weekly positivity rate was lower than 0.8% in all 31 districts of the state, while the state average was 0.4%, an official said.
Dr MK Sudarshan, chairperson, state Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), said it is a good indicator of a low infection rate. “Even after testing increased from 60,000 to one lakh people a day, the state’s daily positivity rate has been less than 1%,” he said. He said that while there have been cluster outbreaks, the caseload has not increased significantly. “There is no indication of a third wave,” he said.
Agreeing with him, Dr CN Manjunath, member, clinical experts committee, said the fairly low test positivity rate shows the pandemic is under control. “Despite crowding taking place, and elections being held earlier, there is no increase in the positivity rate,” said Dr Manjunath. “There is no indication of an impending third wave. However, Covid-appropriate behaviour must not be ignored and people should not become complacent. With this virus (SARS-CoV2), there can always be surprises.”
K’taka on top in vaccinations
With 94.4% of the eligible population having taken at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Karnataka on Wednesday rose to the top among major states in the country in first-dose vaccination coverage. The state displaced Gujarat at the top of the list. Of the nearly 4.9 crore target population, Karnataka has administered the first dose to more than 4.6 crore people.
In a tweet, K Sudhakar, health minister, confirmed that the state had moved up to No. 1 position in first-dose coverage since Wednesday.