New Covid-19 data shows infection rising in Bengaluru’s outlying wards

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jul 28, 2020: The novel coronavirus has not spared a single ward but new data released on Monday shows that not only is the disease digging into the heart of the city but that outlying wards are also turning into hotspots.

The release from the state Covid war room is the most comprehensive ward-wise disclosure of Covid-19 cases yet by the government.

The data, which was described as being a “few days old,” offers a breakdown for all 198 city wards and accounts for a total of 33,641 cases. It is a close match for the Department of Health and Family Welfare data on July 20.

According to the information, six of the worst-hit wards in the city centre account for 12.8% of all cases (4,335) while 11 wards bordering Bengaluru Rural account for another 9.9% of cases (3,332).

Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Rural P N Ravindra expressed concern that the outlying hotspot wards could potentially see a spillover of cases into his district.

“There is much free movement of people, especially market traders and others heading into the outlying wards and coming back. But at the moment, all of our wards have less than 100 cases each,” he said.

The worst-hit in Bengaluru Urban is Dharmaraya Swamy Temple ward in the heart of the city, which alone had 2,445 total cases up to July 20. Of the 14 worst-hit wards (with cases above 300), five are in Bengaluru South, three are in East zone, three are in West zone, two are in the RR Nagar zone and one is in Yelahanka zone.

Shock at numbers

Ward-level officials have expressed shock at the numbers. Corporator Prathibha Dhanaraj of the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple ward described the numbers as “inconceivable” and insisted that local health officers told her that the ward had only 160 cases, of which 31 were active and 17 had died.

The local health officer at the ward said officers such as herself have only two sources of information about new cases: Case details provided by BBMP zonal officers and patients tested at private labs coming forward to identify themselves to the government.

In Sarakki, corporator Deepika L Manjunatha Reddy said she had been told of only 40 total cases. But official data shows Sarakki had 777 total cases up to July 20.

Munish Moudgil, Director, State Covid War Room, said the data was based on official registrations of positive patients, coupled with follow-ups to verify the residency of patients.


courtesy:Deccan Herald