The P6 case: Why combating Covid-19 spread in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi is becoming a huge challenge

BENGALURU: “We have been successful in containing Covid-19 in Bengaluru but distant Kalaburagi is turning out to be a ticking time-bomb for us,” a senior health department official, who was busy marshaling resources and reworking strategies to bottle up the virus in places it has surfaced, admitted.
But the big question is: Why is Kalaburagi becoming a challenge that Bengaluru is not?
The IAS officer attributed it to P6 - the codename given for the 76-year-old Covid19-positive Khaji (a priest-cum-marriage counselor) who died in Kalaburagi on March 10.He had flown from Mecca in Saudi Arabia to Kalaburagi via Hyderabad on February 29. Preliminary reports stated that the Khaji had come in contact with around 300 persons including 45-50 primary contacts before he breathed his last but the district administration, based on contact tracing, has put around 1,200 residents of Kalaburagi as `under risk’.
In fact, the two others who tested positive for Covid-19 in Kalaburagi till Tuesday were the Khaji’s daughter and family doctor.
“The P6 case is a pointer to how lack of awareness about Covid-19 along with other unfounded fears can derail strategies to combat virus,” the officer said. The Khaji, who had a history of breathing-related issues and had developed fever on return, was treated by his family doctor and at private hospitals instead of reporting to Covid-19 cell set up at the government hospital.
“He was popular at two masjids where he officiated matrimonial issues and civil disputes. When he returned from the pilgrimage more people came to seek his blessings as is usually done in rural pockets. A few hugged by him and also received eatables and other gifts from him. Some shared watermelons and dry fruits with him from the same plate,” health department sources said.
Even after the man’s death, the district administration faced resistance from the local community. While the administration ensured that the last rites were in sync with the Covid-19 protocols, the community took objection to many issues including shortened window for mourning and the use of chemicals near his house to prevent contamination. In fact, the local community viewed the district administration with suspicion and accused it of interfering in their practices.
“Kalaburagi was the epicentre of anti-CAA protests in North Karnataka and the minority community continues to look at the administration as an adversary. They initially failed to cooperate with the district authorities on the Covid-19 front,” the officer said, while explaining the backlash from the locals. What complicated the situation were the whispers in the community about the withdrawal of Rs 4 lakh compensation announced to his family. This infuriated the locals and they refused to engage with the health department officials.
"Nobody was paying any thought to the fact that they could be potential carriers of the virus and could actually be spreading it, they kept shooing away the officials,” sources said. It was only when the dead man’s daughter was tested positive did the locals woke up to the threat.
Moreover, the political leadership did not intervene and convince the people about the imminent danger of Covid-19. “With the district MLAs sitting in Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru there is none to convince the Kalaburagi masses about Covid-19. Though efforts are being made to prepare a list of primary and secondary contacts of P6, people are not coming forward and identifying themselves,” the sources added.
The top-priority now is to take the people into confidence if the spread of Covid-19 in Kalaburagi has to be checked.
What happened with P6?
Feb 29: The 76-year-old man returns to Kalaburagi from Saudi Arabia via Hyderabad. Home quarantined as he has breathing issues and fever.
March 5: Visits a private hospital in Kalaburagi as outpatient.
March 6: Gets admitted in the private hospital.
March 9: Sample taken for testing. By then he developed hyper tension and was treated for viral pneumonia. He was taken to private hospital in Hyderabad.
March 10: His condition worsened and died.