TUMAKURU: Initially reported from densely populated areas like Poor House Colony, COVID-19 cases have now surfaced in residential zones of more affluent sections of society like Siddaganga Extension, Ashoka Nagara, Someshwarapuram and Saraswatipuram.
The only respite for the public is that the administration has restricted the containment zones to a block of houses as per the new SoP. This has resulted in business carrying on as usual in these zones. But jewellers and pawnbrokers of the city have declared one week's 'self lockdown' of their businesses due to the spike in cases.
Meanwhile, there have been complaints about the handling of COVID-19 cases by private hospitals. A young accident victim who died at Siddaganga Hospital tested positive for the virus. Relatives alleged that the hospital authorities did not let them know that the patient had died until the bill was paid.
In most cases, the private hospitals that admit patients for various ailments have been referring them to the designated hospital when their condition turns critical.
The tally has risen to 221 in Tumakuru while the death toll is eight. The number of active cases (153) is higher than the recoveries (60) and as many as four people are on the ventilator in the ICU. A total of 19,890 samples have been tested of which 15,726 were found to be negative and the reports of the rest are awaited, according to official sources. As many as 1,395 cases including 566 primary and 829 secondary contacts are under observation.
After a spike for a week with almost ten taluks of the district reporting cases on Friday, there was a downward trend on Saturday.
"But given the huge number of samples drawn, the trend cannot be predicted as it keeps wavering. The treatment at the designated hospital has improved, which may help in the recovery of more patients," remarked district health officer Dr M B Nagendrappa.