High Covid positivity rate due to focused tests, says TAC chief

BENGALURU: Even as Covid deaths and positivity rate continue to remain high, State Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Chairman Dr MK Sudarshan said the high positivity rate is due to focused testing of symptomatic people and primary contacts of Covid-positive patients.

The situation is improving and is likely to stabilise by the end of next month, he said and added that the 14-day lockdown has had a fairly good effect as there has been some decline in the number of cases and test positivity rate. On Saturday, the state reported 31,183 new cases and 451 deaths, and the day’s positivity rate was at 24.21 per cent.

On May 9, a day before the 14-day lockdown was announced, Karnataka had reported 47,930 new cases and 490 deaths, and the positivity rate was at 32.71 per cent. The existing lockdown has been extended by another 14 days till June 7. The TAC chief emphasised on stricter enforcement of the lockdown to fight the pandemic.