UDUPI: About 26 new COVID-19 cases were registered in Udupi on May 21, pushing the district to the Red zone category. The total number of cases in the district now stands at 50, with 45 active cases, four recoveries, and one death.
The sudden spike recorded in the past couple of days includes Dubai returnees and a majority of people who travelled to Udupi from Maharashtra, Telangana or Kerala. According to reports, as many as 23 of the 26 new patients have a travel history from Maharashtra. “We were expecting a rise in cases, especially as people are continuously coming in from Maharashtra,” said Dr Sudhir Chandra Suda, District Health Officer (DHO), Udupi.
Despite the current Red zone status, the district is expected to soon become a Green zone again. According to the health office, some private hospitals have taken in patients and the beds allocated for COVID-19 treatment have been expanded to 250 beds from the previous 100 beds, to effectively deal with the surge in imported cases.
Dakshina Kannada also reported its highest increase in the number of cases since March 22, taking its tally to a total of 57 cases on Thursday. “We’re not really bothered by those cases in and around Mangalore taluk as it won’t affect the district much. 90 percent of the positive cases have come from Maharashtra,” said the DHO. He suggested that strict restrictions on interstate travel, mainly with Maharashtra, Telangana and Gujarat will go a long way in preventing the situation from getting out of hand.
With the onset of the fourth phase of the lockdown, the central government has allowed a considerable number of relaxations. But, in view of the current situation in the region, the officer commented, “The lockdown should be continued in a rigorous manner, and while there is news that bus transport will resume operations completely, I don’t think it is a good move.”
In case of symptoms, please contact the COVID-19 helpline: 9663957222 / 9663950222