Following the recent deaths of three individuals due to COVID-19, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to intensify testing in the city. The Karnataka government has reportedly set a target of conducting 1,500 tests daily within the BBMP limits and in Bengaluru Urban. Currently, the BBMP is conducting 350 to 400 tests per day.
All the three Covid-19-related deaths have been reported from Bengaluru. According to a report by The Hindu, among these cases, a 76-year-old male, hospitalised for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI), succumbed to aspiration pneumonia after a three-month battle. The other two, a 64-year-old male and a 44-year-old male with multiple comorbidities, died due to Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) on December 15 and December 16, respectively.
As of now, there have been no reported cases of the JN 1 variant in Karnataka. Health authorities have said that there is no cause for concern but have called for an increase in testing to 5,000 tests per day in Karnataka. According to state health department data, Karnataka recorded 22 fresh Covid-19 positive cases on December 20. Bengaluru, specifically, reported 30 positive cases on December 18 and December 19, compared to the 29 infections recorded from December 1 to December 17.
Two patients with comorbid conditions are currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at private hospitals. In response to the situation, the BBMP held its first meeting on Wednesday to ensure the operational readiness of all healthcare facilities to handle any potential surge in Covid-19 cases.