22 Covid fatalities reported in Ballari district in six days

Ballari: Although neither the test positivity rate nor the case fatality rate in this third iteration of the pandemic is as alarming as it was during the first two waves of Covid-19, some districts in Karnataka have been affected more severely than others in the third wave. In Ballari district, for instance, Covid is claiming four to fives lives daily for the past week, with 22 people succumbing to the infection between January 23 and February 1, with five patients being reported dead on January 27 alone.
In all, Ballari reported 808 Covid fatalities during the first two iterations of the pandemic. Although the situation is not as grim this time around, the death of 22 people in less than a week has raised the hackles of authorities and public alike. A source in the district health department said, “Most of those who have succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Ballari in the third wave were either not vaccinated, or had severe co-morbid conditions. Many of those who died were those aged over 50.”
Ballari district health officer Dr HL Janardhan told TOI, “People should not ignore safety norms. They must continue to wear a mask, use the hand sanitiser regularly, and maintain a safe distance from each other. They must avoid visiting crowded places, given that Covid-19 is spreading alarmingly quickly.”
However, he admitted that the severity of the infection was markedly less among the patients than it was during the first and second waves of Covid-19. “Most people in the district are fully vaccinated, which is helping patients infected with Covid are recovering a lot quicker. Of the 22 patients who died in the past week, 12 had co-morbid conditions,” Dr Janardhan said.
As on Tuesday, Ballari had an active caseload of 4,871, and most patients are quarantined at home. “Very few patients have been admitted to hospitals. The district is now witnessing a decline in the number of cases. The fatality rate is also lower compared to the first two waves. But people must take steps to get fully vaccinated,” Dr Janardhan added.