Karnataka to increase daily testing for Covid-19 after Centre issues alert

BENGALURU: After the Centre on asked Karnataka and five other states to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the spread of Covid-19 infections, the state Health Department has decided to ramp up testing.

There are few states which are reporting a higher number of cases indicating the possible localised spread of infection and there is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection, without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic, the Union Health Ministry said.

With the Covid-19 cases coming down, the state had reduced testing to 2,000-3,000 per day though it had set a target of 15,000-20,000 tests. Now, after the Centre issued an alert, the state plans to increase testing to 5,000-6,000 tests per day and will increase it further if the situation warrants it.

At present, the state is witnessing about 77 Covid-positive cases every day and there are 587 active cases. From January, there have been four deaths so far due to Covid-19. Though there is no cause for alarm, the state has decided to increase testing as a precautionary measure.