Covid cases see uptick in Bengaluru, still third vaccine dose not popular

BENGALURU: At 2,091 active Covid-19 cases, Bengaluru has the second highest number of cases after Mumbai in the country, and reported a high of 276 Covid cases on Thursday. Despite these growing numbers, only 6.74 per cent of Bengalureans (6,18,698) have taken the precautionary dose of Covid vaccination. Among those who have taken the second dose, only 1.83 per cent of those between 18 and 59 years of age, 34.42 per cent of those above 60 years, 37.93 per cent health workers, and 22.02 per cent frontline workers have taken the precautionary dose. With cases going up in Bengaluru, BBMP health officials are on high alert. 

BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Dr Trilok Chandra told TNIE that since the precautionary dose for those between 18 and 59 years is not a free service, the inclination to take it is low. However, BBMP has intensified information, education and communication through phone calls and messages to persons eligible for the precautionary dose, and also requested private hospitals to educate those between 18 and 59 years of age. 

School-based vaccination drives for those below 18 years, door-to-door drives for vaccination of precautionary dose for those above 60 years of age and second dose among those below 18 years have also been intensified, he said. BBMP is carrying out over 14,000 tests every day, focusing on targeted testing, and those with symptoms of ILI and SARI, Dr Chandra said. 

Five clusters in Mahadevapura zone and one in Rajarajeshwarinagar have been identified in Bengaluru. After the high daily positivity rate of 2.8 per cent reported on May 21, daily positivity rate of 2.1 per cent was reported on June 2 in Bengaluru. Asked about a 12-year-old child having a travel history to Bengaluru, dying in Kerala due to H1N1, Dr Trilok Chandra said BBMP is already alert about cases with ILI and SARI symptoms, which may indicate H1N1 too.