Karnataka increases daily Covid testing target

In view of Covid-19 cluster cases being reported in Dharwad, Mysuru and Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has decided to increase daily Covid testing from 60,000 to 80,000.

The government of Karnataka has released a circular in this regard on Saturday late night. It has been told to the health department to continue the targeted testing of cases of ILI, SARI, contacts of positive cases and high risk groups.

It has also been asked to conduct fortnightly random testing of students, teachers in colleges and High Schools, staff of hotels and restaurants, shopkeepers of Malls, shopkeepers in markets, catering staff, delivery personnel, factory personnel, office goers, service staff in pubs and bars, attendants in cinema halls and multiplexes and others who are in crowds by vocation.

Further, as per the revised target, a daily increase of 5,000 tests in the BBMP area of Bengaluru and 15,000 in the remaining districts is mandated.

It is also prescribed that of the total daily target up to 50 per cent of the samples should be from the district headquarters and the rest from the rural areas and showing that 10 per cent of the samples are taken from children. At least 5 per cent of children in the schools should be tested every week to assess their safety in the schools.

The district administration should ensure that the daily targets are achieved to identify fresh cases, if any, and curb the further spread of the Covid-19, the circular said.