• Contact tracing exercise to trace primary, secondary infected persons resumes
• COVID War Rooms at Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja, Chamaraja Constituencies

Mysore/Mysuru: A huge rush was witnessed at COVID testing centres in city this morning amidst fears of contracting the killer disease. The number of people getting tested has seen an increase at K.R. Hospital and at Town Hall Centres. 

While on the one hand people having fever and body-ache are going for the test before consulting doctor, on the other hand, Mysuru-based travellers to other States like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to attend weddings are getting themselves tested to possess a ‘negative’ certificate before entering those States lest they might be denied entry. K.R. Hospital and Town Hall Free COVID Testing Centres witnessed heavy rush and no social distancing measures were observed. People stood close to each other and conversed without masks. Also in the queue were over 75 Policemen who had returned to city after election duty. They were asked to get the tests done before reaching homes. They are under mandatory quarantine now.

It is marriage season in North Indian States and those from Mysuru too are going there in trains. As there is a rule that all travellers must have a COVID-negative report not less than 72 hours, families, women, men and children arrived at K.R. Hospital today to get tested. 

Contact tracing 

Meanwhile, the District Administration has decided to resume contact tracing where primary and secondary contacts of positive persons are traced. This is the only way to check the disease from spreading. As part of this exercise, a meeting was held this morning at Town Hall where over 220 teachers from Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits were given training on contact tracing and reporting mechanism. 

Similar to the measures taken in the city, rural area teachers would also be utilised for this purpose like last year. Speaking to reporters at Town Hall, DDPI Panduranga and MCC Health Officer Dr. D.G. Nagaraj said that they were resuming contract tracing and teams of teachers are formed and designated as ‘quarantine watch-up team’ and ‘home isolation watch-up team’.

Also, three exclusive COVID War Rooms will be established for Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja and Chamaraja Constituencies. “We have trained the teachers in their respective roles. Starting from now, teachers will visit the houses of COVID-positive persons, people who have been home-isolated, and homes of those who have been put under the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Selfies and photos will be taken as part of the reporting mechanism and data sheets will be updated by the teachers,” Panduranga said. 

Home isolation, contact tracing and quarantine are non-medical interventions, but very important from the point of view of controlling the virus spread. Teachers who were earlier deputed for COVID duty are now being brought back as cases are rising and meetings are being held with coordinators and special officers are appointed in each MCC zone to look into contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

“When teachers come home to check on quarantined, please cooperate and stay within the comforts of home,” appealed Dr. Nagaraj. Additional War Rooms and Control Rooms will be established at the new DC Office at Siddarthanagar and teachers, Government officers, Block Education Officers and employees from non-critical departments would be used, the Health Officer added. 

This apart, the District Administration has readied a full-fledged COVID Care Centre (CCC) at the Academic Bhavan of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mandakalli. Also, the administration is planning doorstep testing facility, aimed at testing people of age and those living in high-risk areas.