Fewer Covid-19 cases rekindle Dasara spirit

MYSURU:  Mysuru, which took a giant leap in Covid-19 positive cases and fatalities last month, seems to have seen a huge turnaround as positivity rate in the district has come down to 7.8% this week compared to over 21% the same period last month.This has given a renewed hope to Mysureans who were gripped in fear amid the Dasara festivities during the pandemic.

According to data available with The New Indian Express, the weekly Covid positivity rate of Mysuru was 20.1% during September 16 to 22 which has come down to 7.8 per cent during October 14 to 19, especially at a time when the Dasara celebration started in the district from October 17.

What more comes as a huge sigh of relief is the drop in fatality rate which was 2.5% during September 16 and 22 which is now down to 1.1 per cent between October 14 and 19.Even the Covid testing especially RT-PCR tests have been ramped up in the district in the wake of tourist arriving in the district. Over 6,299 tests were conducted during September 16 to 22 while over 21,054 tests have been done in the last one week.

Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri said, “Low testing and availability of oxygen beds in the district were a major concern. After assuming charge as the DC, our main focus was to reduce the death rate. We ramped up the testing, nodal officers were appointed in the city for better coordination and daily review was held with all. A lot of hard work was put in the first two weeks which has yielded results now,” she said.She said, “We hope to continue this but the rising influx of people for Dasara is a cause of concern and we are focusing on handling the situation in any eventuality.”