Karnataka records lowest Covid numbers since April 4

The state recorded its lowest Covid-19 numbers in nearly 77 days on Sunday.

Some 4,517 new cases were disclosed on Sunday across the state, which is the lowest such figure since April 4 while only 933 cases were disclosed from Bengaluru Urban, representing a 95-day low, and following 925 cases which were reported on March 18, when the second wave was on its ascendancy phase.

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The low numbers, coupled with 8,456 discharges on Sunday, saw the state’s active caseload decline to 1,26,813 cases. The next highest numbers were 545 cases found in Mysuru district, 525 in Dakshina Kannada and 346 in Hassan district.

Unlock 2.0 discrepancies

While the data shows that the second wave has definitely declined since four weeks, a study by data analysts found that not all districts are in the clear, in terms of preventing additional deaths.

According to an analysis by the Project: Jeevan Raksha, which has been studying Covid-19 data since the start of the pandemic, several districts which were recently included in Unlock 2.0 should still continue restrictions.

These include Gadag, Raichur, Bagalkot, Haveri, Ramanagar and Yadgir. "Need to be observed for performance sustenance over the next two to three weeks," the report stated.

As per the report, all these districts had a 28-day moving growth rate ranging between 14 and 32%. "Efforts need to be made to reduce the moving growth rate below 2% at the earliest possible in order to reduce the average death toll in these districts," the report added.

The report further states that a further five districts in Unlock 2.0, such as Uttara Kannada, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Kolar and Mandya showed only "marginal improvement in the last one week," and that the outbreak needs to be observed for the next two weeks to ensure “sustenance of improvement.”

Meanwhile, the state also disclosed 120 new deaths, the largest number of which (17) had happened in Mysuru. The oldest fatality among Sunday’s disclosure was a 95-year-old woman who died at a private hospital on June 19 within 24 hours of being diagnosed with the disease. The youngest fatality was a 20-year-old man, who also died in Mysuru, but on June 16, 24 hours after being diagnosed with the illness. He did not have any recorded comorbidities but did have symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

Vaccinations

As per data from the department of Health and Family Welfare, the state administered a relatively low 120,529 doses on Sunday. Figures were especially low in Bengaluru Urban, with only 4,616 doses being administered in non-BBMP areas of the city and 37,400 doses administered in BBMP areas.

BBMP situation

According to the War Room run by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the state’s test positivity rate over seven days from June 12 to 19 was 1.9%. In comparison, the previous week was witness to a positivity rate of 3.11%. On Sunday, the BBMP also disclosed that 3.1% of the 933 new cases found in the city were children. These comprised 29 cases.