Covid-19 count continues to vary on coast as tally dips

Mangaluru: The number of Covid-19 cases being reported in the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada continued to vary wildly, with the tally witnessing a marked dip on Thursday, wherein the combined tally came up to 526, significantly lower than Wednesday (609 cases) and Tuesday (700 cases). Of the fresh cases reported on the coast, Udupi accounted for more than two-thirds of the tally – 349 cases. Although fewer cases were reported in Dakshina Kannada, it accounted for six of the eight Covid-19 fatalities on Thursday.
Udupi deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha said that 137 of the people confirmed infected on Thursday had a history of influenza like illness (ILI), while 130 had been identified as primary contacts of previously infected patients and 12 had reported severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). “The source of infection among 63 patients is still being probed,” said Jagadeesha, adding that six patients had travelled to Udupi from other parts of India, while one of them had returned from a foreign country. Of the 349 fresh cases, 190 patients were asymptomatic, the district bulletin stated.
Udupi taluk accounted for the bulk of the district’s cases, with 162, trailed by Kundapura (100), Karkala (76), while 11 cases were outside Udupi. On the other hand, 184 patients who recovered at hospitals were discharged on Thursday, while 176 who were quarantined at home, were declared fit and recovered. Consequently, the number of active cases in Udupi now stands at 2,818, while the two fatalities took its death toll to 80. The two women who succumbed to Covid-19 in Udupi were from Karkala and had co-morbidities.
In Dakshina Kannada, patients with ILI accounted for 88 of the 177 cases. Dakshina Kannada DC KV Rajendra said that officials were tracing the source of infection among 43 patients, while 29 of those confirmed with Covid-19 on Thursday had been identified as primary contacts, and 17 had SARI. As many as 85 of the patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus were asymptomatic. Mangaluru taluk accounted for 107 of the new cases, followed by Puttur (16), bantwal (14), Sullia and Belthangady (12 cases each), while 16 were outside Dakshina Kannada.
The six fatalities pushed the district’s death toll to four short of 300. While three of those who succumbed were from Mangaluru, one was from Bantwal taluk and the two others from outside Dakshina Kannada. All the six patients had co-morbidities. On Thursday, 187 patients were discharged, bringing the tally of active cases down to 2,287.