BENGALURU: While the spike in cases in some clusters like Nanjangud and Kalaburagi is posing a problem for the state health department, a new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal on Tuesday states, “Extensive contact tracing, isolating cases, and testing may reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, and favour control of the Covid-19 outbreak.”

The study conducted in China by researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology at Shenzhen cautions that the impact of contact tracing to rapidly isolate people who could be infected with Covid- 19 depends on identifying asymptomatic cases.

Munish Moudgil, the nodal officer in charge of the state war room, said that in places like Kalaburagi, Nanjangud and Belagavi, different factors need to be considered when carrying out contact tracing. “Societal attitude, environmental challenges, technology handicap – all these need to be considered when contact tracing is done,” he said, explaining that the exercise in these localities is a challenge, but extra efforts are being made to ensure that primary, secondary and even tertiary contacts are traced early.

In Shenzhen, authorities identified whom to isolate, based on their contact with confirmed cases, as well as isolating people who already had symptoms, the researchers said.

The Shenzhen experience may demonstrate the large-scale testing and contact tracing that is needed to reduce the virus spread, said the researchers.

“Some of the strict control measures enforced here, such as isolating people outside their homes, might be unlikely to be replicated elsewhere, but we urge governments to consider our findings in the global response to Covid-19,” the research stated.

Meanwhile, public health expert and epidemiologist Dr Giridhara Babu said, “We must intensify contact tracing, combined with social distancing and partial lockdowns. If contact tracing doesn’t happen on time, then the fear of virus spread exists.”

In Shenzen, the contacts were tested whether they were symptomatic or not, to identify asymptomatic virus carriers.

“We are also doing it. All primary and secondary contacts are being tested irrespective of them being symptomatic or not. Kalaburagi has a lot of senior population, and also many have SARI and other comorbidities. Families are close-knit too. That’s why the numbers are increasing,” said a senior health official.