Coronavirus targets outer areas in Bengaluru

Covid-19 cases are spiking in outlying areas of Bengaluru such as Yelahanka, while worst-hit zones are seeing a drop in cases, according to the latest data, which also revealed a grim fact: In the last two weeks, the city recorded more new cases than it had during the entire outbreak till July 27.

Follow latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here

According to the State Covid War Room, the city recorded 38,849 cases from August 27 to September 11, which is higher than the 33,651 cases recorded in total in the city up to July 27.

However, data shows that the outbreak is potentially moving to the outlying zones.

Munish Moudgil, Special Officer for South Zone, said this is because the virus had completed its “first wave in places” and is “spreading to less crowded (outlying areas)”. However, some officers alleged low testing is skewing the picture.

Data shows that Yelahanka has the highest average number of cases in the city per ward (327) during the last 15 days, followed by Dasarahalli which has had an average of 310 cases per ward. Bommanahalli has 293 cases per ward, RR Nagar (249) and Mahadevapura (232 cases).

Dr R Vishal, the IAS Special Officer for RR Nagar Zone, said increased testing is behind the spurt. “We are conducting about 2,000 tests per day, most of them RT-PCR,” he said.

Some officials acknowledge that increased movement and the resumption of industries in places like Uttarahalli, Peenya and commercial activities in Koramangala is feeding the spike.

Interestingly, commercial activities have also resumed in the erstwhile worst-hit zones of the city (West, East and South), but the numbers here per ward have declined. The average caseload ranges from 162 to 152 to 139 cases respectively.

Declining testing

Some officials said smaller numbers in some zones were due to low testing. “They are keeping case numbers low by not testing enough,” claimed a BBMP officer in Dasarahalli.

Dr Siddapaji, Chief Health Officer, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for East Zone, rejected this claim, saying that his zone was conducting about 2,500 tests daily across 44 wards and finding between 350 to 400 cases in total.

“But the number of positive cases is not high as before,” he said and suggested that “peaking” may have happened in core areas.

However, in the West Zone, a zonal officer who did not want to be identified, said, “Crowded neighbourhoods are not being tested.” But he also partly blamed the public. “Many people no longer want to risk being subject to a 15-day quarantine,” he said.

At Bommanahalli, the restarting of small-scale industries and garment factories is said to have spiked numbers. According to the zone, it has been conducting an average of 2,200 tests per day. Over the last 15 days, it has found 4,959 cases with a positivity rate of about 14%.