The State government will launch a Sero survey in Belagavi on Tuesday. A team of Health Department officers and zilla panchayat personnel is putting in place a plan of action to conduct the survey.
Similar surveys will be launched in other districts too. This will be a random sample survey to assess the presence of antigens and antibodies present in a target population.
This is expected to provide data to assess if there is community transmission and if the trend towards herd immunity has begun.
A letter from Giridhar Babu, a member of the State-level COVID-19 technical advisory committee, has asked the district administration to conduct the survey.
Samples would be pooled from among the general population and vulnerable sections such as corona warriors, including Accredited Social Health Activists and anganwadi workers, doctors, nurses and other field staff.
If the sero prevalence is low, then the peak in the number of cases is yet to come. But if the levels are more than 30 %, then, it indicates that the cases will reduce in the future, said a Health Department officer.
Home care
Yash Hospital will offer home care for COVID-19 patients who are in home isolation. The hospital will provide a COVID kit, including oxygen cylinders, pulse oximeters and digital thermometers. A para medical staff will visit such houses and provide advice and care to patients. Doctors will monitor patients on video calls. “The city is witnessing a community spread. There is a shortage of beds in hospitals. Hence, this service has been launched,” according to hospital director S.K. Patil who can be reached on Ph: 9844120615.
COVID Care Centre
BHS Lakeview Group of Hospitals and Hotel Rohan Residency have jointly set up a COVID Care Centre at Nehru Nagar in the city.
It will admit non-symptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19 positive patients.
Keertiraya Mane, MD and CEO of the hospital, said that there would be 40 beds in the centre. Medical and para medical staff have been deputed to the centre.
Girish Sonwalkar, a doctor, said that Samruddhi Seva Samithi’s Veeresh Kivadasannavar had extended support in the setting up of the centre which can be contacted on Ph: 9762631579.