Karnataka: Why Dakshina Kannada is reporting high Covid-19 cases

Dakshina Kannada in the state of Karnataka has been recording an increase in the number of Coronavirus cases and resultant deaths for the past two weeks. The rapid surge in Dakshina Kannada can be gauged from the fact that the area is recording even more cases than the cases in Bengaluru Urban which had been recording the highest number of cases in the entire state a few weeks ago, the Indian Express reported. In comparison to the 3553 new cases and 52 Covid-19 related deaths in Dakshina Kannada since August 10, Bengaluru Urban reported 3374 new cases and 40 casualties in the same period.

Reasons behind surge
Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Kishore Kumar told the Indian Express that the chief cause for the rise in cases in the district was the entry of students in the district from neighbouring Kerala. The official explained that despite the administration only allowing those in who have shown negative RT-PCR test reports, many people coming from Kerala are testing positive after a week. However, Kumar added that the rise in the cases in Dakshina Kannada was not sudden and the administration had successfully brought down the positivity rate from the high of 8-9 percent last month to the current 3-3.5 percent. The official also said that the administration has also increased testing to 11000 which is more than what the state government has set for the district.

Is neighbouring Kerala the cause?
Kumar said that the neighbouring Kerala district of Kasaragod has been reporting the test positivity rate of 10-12 percent and it is the strict vigil and checks by the authorities at the state border which has kept the number in control in the district. Officials also told the Indian Express that residents of Kasargod frequently come to Mangalore as the Karnataka city is closer to them than Kannur in Kerala.

Recently, in his visit to Dakshina Kannada, Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai had instructed officials to mandatorily shift Covid-19 patients to the Covid Care Centres(CCC) rather than allowing them to stay in home quarantine. For initial 10 days after testing positive, patients are mandated to stay in the centres.

Why are high casualties getting reported?
DHO Kumar told the Indian Express that most deaths are being reported in patients aged above 60. The official also said that the patients tend to get admitted to the hospital only after things have gone out of their control. The official further said that most deaths were reported among patients who had come to the hospital after their Oxygen rate had dropped below the 75 percent mark.