Last month, in a span of five days, Mysuru had a positivity rate of 22%. Out of 100 persons tested for COVID-19, an average of 22 returned positive between September 17 and 23.
As per the data available on testing from 15 districts, including Mysuru, none of the districts achieved the target set for carrying out Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT). Ramanagaram did the highest — 79% of the RAT target — while the lowest was Chitradurga (8%). Mysuru achieved 32% of the RAT target — 1,424 tests as against the target of 4,400 RATs.
The September statistics on testing in Mysuru worried the district administration even as the cases surged alarmingly, resulting in Minister for Medical Education K. Sudhakar and Minister for Health B. Sriramulu rushing to Mysuru to take review of the situation. After Bengaluru, Mysuru is the second hotspot identified by the Centre over the alarming surge in cases. Besides the number of cases, the death count is also high in Mysuru.
However, when it came to RT-PCR and other methods of testing during the same period, most districts, including Mysuru, exceeded their targets.
Surprisingly, Chitradurga, whose RAT target was just 8%, achieved 295% of the target in PCR in the same period. As against the target of 300, it conducted 886 tests. Haveri achieved 180% the target with 540 tests.
Overall, 800 PCR tests was the target set to most districts, while Dakshina Kannada was given a target of 1,000 for the period.
Mysuru conducted 922 PCR tests, against the target of 800, while Dakshina Kannada conducted 1,174 tests (117%). The lowest numbers on the PCR front came from Bengaluru Rural (62%).
Hassan and Chikkamagaluru also exceeded their PCR targets, carrying out 824 and 568 tests, respectively, achieving 189% and 118% their targets.
Data from the 15 districts — Mysuru, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Haveri, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, Mandya, Chitradurga, Ramanagaram, Davangere, Ballari, Tumakuru, and Shivamogga — shows an average of less than 20% positivity rate.
In this period, the positivity rate was highest in Bengaluru Rural (24%), followed by Mysuru (22%). In other districts, it was less than 20%.
If the average tests — both RT-PCR and RAT — are considered, none of the districts achieved more than 75% of their target. Ramanagaram hit 75% while all the others fell below that mark.
