With 96% of the total 2,026 active cases in Karnataka being asymptomatic, the State government is now contemplating reverting to its earlier decision to test and quarantine asymptomatic persons as well, especially from high prevalence States.
The Health and Family Welfare Department had last week done away with the mandatory COVID-19 test for asymptomatic individuals. Moreover, asymptomatic individuals had been exempted from institutional quarantine, barring Maharashtra.
However, with asymptomatic cases having become a cause of concern among the community — given that they can spread while showing no symptoms and move freely — some experts are now of the opinion that irrespective of symptoms, returnees from high-risk States should be quarantined institutionally.
Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar has said that he will discuss the possibility of reintroducing mandatory testing and 14-day institutional quarantine with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. The suggestion has come not only from experts but also elected representatives after the State witnessed sudden spike in cases after a large number of people, mostly migrant workers, returned from Maharashtra.
C.N. Manjunath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, who is the nodal officer of labs and testing in the State’s COVID-19 task force, said irrespective of symptoms, all returnees from Maharashtra should be tested. “Migration from high-risk States is the precipitating factor and cases are peaking now. Mandatory testing and quarantine is a must at least for those returning from Maharashtra,” he said.
As on June 1, of the total 3,408 positive cases since the virus entered Karnataka in March, 90% have been asymptomatic. According to data from the Karnataka COVID-19 war room, only 75 persons of the 2,026 active cases are symptomatic and being treated in designated COVID-19 hospitals. Overall, 330 cases have been symptomatic.
Among all the affected districts, Yadgir stands apart as all the 285 active cases here are asymptomatic. In Mandya, of the total 285 cases, except 10 all are asymptomatic. On an average, 90% of cases have been asymptomatic in several high prevalence districts such as Bengaluru Urban, Kalaburgi, Udupi, Raichur, Hassan Bidar, Belagavi, Davangere, Chikkaballapura, Dakshina Kannada and Vijapura.
Transmissibility low?
Some experts argue that the transmissibility through asymptomatic cases is low. A senior member of the State’s COVID-19 expert committee cited a position statement by the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the Chapter of Infectious Disease Physicians, Academy of Medicine, Singapore, to make this point.
“The infectious period of SARS-CoV-2 virus in symptomatic individuals may begin as early as two days before the onset of symptoms and persists for about seven to 10 days after the onset of symptoms. However, in asymptomatic cases, the transmissibility is negligible or low. Hence, the focus should be on symptomatic cases,” the member argued.