BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued orders to primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across the city to increase swab collection from 100 per day to 250 in the wake of the new variant and a gradual increase in cases.
There are 141 PHCs in the city.
Tests per day had reduced from 1 lakh to 60,000 during September, October and November second week. On detecting Omicron on November 21, the testing began to increase again.
Balasundar AS, chief health officer, BBMP, said the Palike is targeting 50,000 tests per day and is able to do 30,000 to 40,000.
The increased presence of swab collectors in public spaces like markets, railway stations, bus stations and shopping complexes is apparent. “BBMP has asked us to do 250 tests per day and that is not easy,” a swab collector said. While some citizens refuse to give their swabs citing double vaccination, those travelling to the city or leaving already have RT-PCR reports with them, a source said.
