Covid: 22% of villages in Mysuru district have zero infections

MYSURU: While the rest of the state is still battling a ferocious second wave of Covid-19 infections, data compiled by the Mysuru district administration shows 22% of villages in the district have not had a single case.
The data shows that of 1,560 villages in the district, 343 villages are ‘green zones’, which means no Covid-19 cases have been reported from these villages. Also, only 160 villages have reported 20 or more cases.
The highest number of green villages are in HD Kote taluk where 212 villages of the total 119 are Covid-free. Of the total 64 villages in Hunsur taluk, 19 villages have had zero cases.
One reason, analysts suggest, is that both HD Kote and Hunsur taluks have a huge tribal population and many villages banned entry of outsiders, thereby keeping the virus at bay.
A senior district official said special emphasis was given to micro containment zone management to contain the spread of infections, which helped reduce the caseload, but he admitted cases are still rising in rural areas.
“When cases spiked in T Narasipura, we imposed strict containment zone rules and now cases are falling in that area,” the official said. “But cases are rising in Hunsur taluk and we are creating containment zones there. Part of the problem is that, in villages, people move around in groups. Around 50% of cases reported in the district are from villages.”