With new cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 being reported, fears over its spread have gripped the country. Karnataka’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) held its second review meeting to take stock of the situation in the state and create a further strategy to deal with the threat. It has now suggested that the government should only consider lockdown in districts only if the weekly test positivity rate (WTPR) exceeds 5% and the occupancy of oxygen beds is more than 60%.
As per reports, the committee also assured the government that the situation is not alarming and it is not required to press the panic button. The TPR at present is about 0.3%.
The report also said that the state has fairly geared up and readied the health infrastructure and facilities for a possible third wave. The central government has recommended lockdown as a last resort when the TPR is over 10% and the occupancy of oxygen beds is about 60%, the report added.
It further added that if the night curfew has to be imposed in the state, it should be from 7 pm to 5 am.
The state’s health department on Wednesday said that 317 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths have been reported, taking the total number of infections to 30,01,251 and the death toll to 38,277. A total of 301 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries in the State so far to 29,55,766.
The total number of active cases in the State is 7,179.
