Bengaluru: With the case of fresh Covid-19 floating in the range of 500-800 for the past month and without signs of the third infection, experts suggest viral diseases may have lost the characteristics of a pandemic and can get closer to the endemic phase.
in Karnataka.
“Going by stagnation in terms of new cases and a positive rate of low test (TPR), we can say Covid-19 reaches the endemicity phase in Karnataka,” said Dr.
MK Sudarshan, Chairperson, Covid-19 State Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
“There will be a new wave only if the novel Coronavirus mutates and the new variant appears.
Therefore it is important to increase alertness and supervision and maintain a close watch for mutations, if any.
It can be done through a more aggressive genome sequencing.” TAC has suggested the government To increase the current genomic sequencing rate of the sample to track virus mutations.
While the level of the test is around 0.5%, experts say it can be a pattern like a pandemic usually has two or three waves of infection.
After that it becomes endemic, the spread of the virus will be limited to local transmission without importing infections from outside through the history of travel.
Infected people will not suffer serious diseases, and mortality will be low.
The famous epidemiology of T Jacob John said the endemic trend was witnessed throughout the country, except in three states – Kerala, Mizoram and Meghalaya, where new cases were still relatively high.
“However, the situation in Kerala has increased rapidly, with a stable everyday case around 12,000.
So, Covid-19 is also endemic there,” said Dr.
John.
Extreme attention from V Ravi, Virologist and Nodal Officer for sequencing genomes in Karnataka, said, normally, the sequencing process of the genome must be increased to around 10% in the scenario given, especially in districts such as Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru where the cluster outbreak is known to occur .
“The situation requires extreme caution, and vigilance and sequencing genomes need to be improved.
Even though the situation such as the applicable endemic gives the impression that the virus is lost, still there,” said Dr.
Ravi.
Karnataka currently has four Laboratory sequencing genomes located in Nimhans, National Biology Center (NCB), IISC and Jawaharlal Center for further scientific research (JNCASR).
But the state government has now taken steps to add six more laboratories to the list, with four new laboratories to be arranged in medical colleges located in Bellagavi, Kalaburagi, Hassan and Mysuru and two other districts in Vijayapura and Mangaluru .
Dr.
KV Trilok Chandra, Health Commissioner, said, “We have held the necessary equipment and the new Genom Laboratory will operate at the end of this month.”