State to ramp up testing to 30k daily; 10,000 in Bengaluru alone

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In the wake of a slight upsurge in the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) in Bengaluru since April 9, the state government has decided to increase daily Covid tests to 10,000 in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits with immediate effect.

Besides, the samples of patients with complaints of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) will be sent for genome sequencing, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Talking to reporters in Mangaluru on Wednesday after participating in a videoconference with PM Modi, he said 20,000 tests would be conducted daily in other districts too. Two per cent random testing of travellers from ten countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia would be done on their arrival at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. They would be monitored throughout their stay in the state capital.

The CM said 50,000 beds in government facilities and around one lakh beds in private facilities would be kept ready in case of a fourth wave.