Bengaluru abandons random testing to focus on qualitative testing
The Hindu
The civic body will focus on people with COVID-19 symptoms, and on contacts of patients
The positivity rate leapfrogging to 14.35% in April from 2.31% in March is undeniable proof of the extent of community transmission in Bengaluru. In an effort to better utilise existing resources, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to stop random testing for COVID-19, a tool to help identify community transmission. Instead, it will focus on testing people with symptoms, those with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), and primary and secondary contacts. BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) P. Rajendra Cholan said the civic body will focus on qualitative testing. “Earlier, we would test people in railway stations and bus stands. But now that community spread has been confirmed, we decided to stop random testing,” he said.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.