9 Karnataka districts report more Covid cases in rural areas

BENGALURU: With a surge in Covid cases, rural areas are carrying higher caseload in at least nine districts of Karnataka in the past 14 days ending January 18. These districts are: Udupi, Hassan, Mandya, Uttara Kannada, Ramanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapura, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu.
In four districts, the number of Covid infections in rural areas far outstrip those in urban clusters.For instance, Mandya rural areas account for 2,576 cases against the urban count of 1,124 for the 14-day analysis period. In Ramanagara, rural pockets reported 1,029 cases and urban areas 428. In Chamarajanagar, it’s 850 to 248. In Kodagu, rural areas have 623 cases and urban clusters 320.
Udupi (2,260 in urban and 2,737 in rural) and Haveri (108 to 109) are the only districts in this list of nine which have near-parity in distribution of cases.
Mandya health officer Dr Dhananjaya TN explained the district should not be compared with other districts as 90% is rural areas. “Every day, we get about 900 cases despite conducting targeted testing of symptomatic persons. Against the government target of 5,000, we conduct 6,000 tests a day and isolate positive cases early on,” said the officer, adding cases in the district saw a big jump after devotees returning from Om Shakti temple in Tamil Nadu and Sabarimala in Kerala started testing positive in big numbers.
Officers said testing in rural areas is relatively tougher as people don’t volunteer for Covid checks and believe in home remedies saying what they have is only cold. “In this wave, many have had mild symptoms, and there is more reluctance towards testing. That Covid-appropriate behaviour is not followed is a major concern behind fast spreading of the cases in rural areas, though population density is far less,” said an officer.
D Randeep, commissioner, health and family welfare department, said the weekend curbs are in force across the state, but wearing of mask is not strictly followed in rural areas.
“The focus should now be on visits of doctors to the residences of home-isolated patients. The initiative of ‘Vaidyara Nade Halliya Kade’ (doctors’ village reachout), which was discussed during a recent meeting with the chief minister, will soon be taken up. We want a team of doctors, including a few from Ayush stream, to take this up in rural areas. They will check the health status of the home-isolated patients and giving them assurance,” said Randeep.
He said medical teams will ensure patients have received home-isolation medical kits and guide them on maintaining Covid-appropriate behaviour.
“Wherever home isolation is not possible in villages, Covid care centres will have to be opened,” said Randeep.