Mysuru lags behind state’s Covid-19 testing average

Milton.Lawrence
Mysuru: Although the number of Covid-19 cases being reported in Mysuru district has witnessed an upward surge in the past week, with more than 85 cases being reported on average every day, the number of people being tested for a population of 10 lakh in the district is among the lowest in the state. In Mysuru district, around 1,972 people are being tested for every population sample of 10 lakh in 10 days, while the average in the state is 3,151.
Interestingly enough, all the other districts in the Old Mysore region fare much better when it comes to testing: While Chamarajanagar is conducting 5,435 tests per million, the figure for Kodagu is 3,531, 3,266 for Hassan and 2,962 in Mandya. However, authorities in the district attributed the poor average in Mysuru to the lack of adequate equipment to perform tests.
Dean and director of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute Dr CP Nanjaraj said that they were conducting, on average, 600 tests daily against a target of 730. “We have managed to achieve 90% of our target. We have considerably fewer equipment than the neighbouring districts. We have sought advanced machines so as to help conduct more tests, which will improve the testing average in our district, Dr Nanjaraj said.
Mandya deputy commissioner Dr MV Venkatesh said that the number of tests being conducted in the district was in excess of the target set by the state government. “Our target per day is 620 tests, of which 550 are being conducted by the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, while the Adichunchanagiri Medical College is performing 100 tests. We are not facing any difficulties on meeting our target,” he said.
Kodagu DC Annies Kanmani Joy pointed to the rise in the number of patients reporting influenza-like-illnesses given that the monsoon had set in across the state. “People are also volunteering to get tested. We also have a mobile unit that can reach every nook and cranny of the district. We are conducting 350 tests every day, while our target is 270,” Kanmani told TOI.