RT-PCR test to be held in 270 booths from 10 am to 5 pm for two days

Mysore/Mysuru: Co-operation and District in-Charge Minister S.T. Somashekar launched a pilot mega RT-PCR testing for residents of Krishnaraja (KR) Constituency at 270 booths in city this morning.

This pilot project has been organised by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), District Administration and District Health Department. 

At a function held at JSS Public School, JP Nagar, the Minister complimented Krishnaraja MLA S.A. Ramdas for working out this pilot project aimed at detection of asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID positive cases in the Constituency. He said this scheme will be extended to other Assembly segments depending upon success in Krishnaraja Constituency. Plans are afoot to extend the State Government’s ambitious programme ‘Vaidyara Nade Halliya Kade’ by one more week. This pilot project,  which is originally scheduled for only two days, could be extended by another two days, he added.

Explaining details of the pilot project, Ramdas said a free COVID testing has been arranged in 270 polling booths which will be opened for public from 10 am to 5 pm.  There are 52,000 houses in this Constituency and the aim was to test as many citizens as possible for early detection and treatment. Sufficient numbers of teams have been posted in all booths to collect the swab. 

Swab sample will be sent to those districts which have recorded lowest number of positive cases and deaths, as it will be not possible to test in city laboratories. 900 volunteers have been deployed at all the booths to assist the citizens to register their names for free vaccination drive that will begin from June 21, the MLA added.

Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham regretted that Mysuru has been included with 10 other districts that were recording the maximum number of COVID positive cases and deaths. The district administration has been making efforts to bring down COVID Positivity Rate (CPR) to below 5 per cent by ramping up RT-PCR testing. The pilot project by MLA Ramdas was helping the district administration to check the spread of COVID-19.

Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil, in-Charge Mayor Anwar Baig, MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, ZP CEO A.M. Yogesh, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Hemanth Kumar Gowda, City BJP President Srivatsa, Corporators Sharadamma Eshwar and Shanthamma Vadivelu, District Health Officer Dr.T. Amarnath, DCP (Crime & Traffic) Geetha Prasanna and others were present.