Shivamogga district has received 2,400 rapid antibody testing kits that would enable quick diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Deputy Commissioner K.B. Sivakumar said at a meeting of the District Health Committee held here on Monday that the kits would be used to test the blood samples of medical professionals and para-medical staff involved in treating the symptomatic cases of COVID-19 in the district; the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) engaged in surveillance activities; and that of the persons who are in quarantine. He said that as many as 18 centres have been identified in the district to conduct the tests.
Regarding the survey activities taken up in the limits of urban local bodies (ULBs) in the district to identify the symptomatic cases, he said that, so far, information on the health condition of around four lakh persons from 98,600 families has been collected. The swab samples of 178 symptomatic persons collected during the survey have tested negative for COVID-19. The survey work would be completed in five days.
He directed the Tahsildars to submit a report to him on the persons who have completed 28 days of home quarantine. He said that the migrant labourers stranded in the district would be allowed to return to their native places.
On the measures taken to prevent the spread of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), he said that it is necessary to take three doses of vaccine as per the schedule to develop immunity against the disease. The authorities would allow the people in the KFD-affected areas to venture to their agriculture land on forest fringes only if they have taken the three doses.
K.M. Shantharaju, Superintendent of Police; M.L. Vaishali, CEO of Zilla Panchayat; Chidananda Vatare, Commissioner of Shivamogga City Corporation; and Rajesh Suragihalli, District Health Officer, were present in the meeting.
