second wave

Second COVID wave subsiding As the second wave subsides and hundreds of COVID beds in government facilities fall vacant, medical staff and students are anxious to switch to non-COVID duties, especially at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Centre (BMCRI), the largest government facility for COVID treatment in the city. The number of daily cases has seen a dramatic 97% decline since the second wave peaked in April. But, the number of ICU cases has been less quick to fall. Over a seven-day period from June 20 to 27, the number of ICU cases declined by 28% from 518 to…

Each time a survey, however small or flawed it is, places Bengaluru on top of its list, you can be rest assured that the government will paste full-page advertisements in papers, of its leaders claiming credit for it. Wonder why there is complete silence when Bengaluru became the city with the most active COVID cases not just in India, but across the world. After all, the political establishment has perhaps contributed more to Bengaluru’s horrifying COVID scenario than it has in the city being ‘the most liveable’, ‘most dynamic’ or for being the start-up capital.  At crematoria, at hospitals, in…

Death by air pollution A Greenpeace Southeast Asia report on Thursday estimated that Bengaluru recorded 12,000 avoidable deaths due to PM 2.5 air pollution in 2020. The city fared better than Delhi and Mumbai, but worse than Chennai, Hyderabad, and Lucknow. The ‘Cost Estimator’ online tool estimated the real-time health impact and economic cost from fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), using real-time ground-level PM 2.5 measurements collated in IQAir’s database. Apart from waste burning, construction, industries, and DG sets, the fossil-fuelled transport sector was the key emission source. Polluted air increases the likelihood of deaths owing to cancer and stroke,…

It was only last week that work hours returned to “normal” for Sajida, an Accredited Social Health Worker (ASHA), also known as Community Health Worker, who lives in Mahalakshmi Layout.   As with all ASHA workers, she was part of the critical front line; keeping her ears to the ground and eyes peeled for any sign of Covid-19 and its spread in her locality. Since March, when the city recorded its first coronavirus case, Sajida has worked up to 16 hours a day, surveying neighbourhoods and tracing contacts of those who tested positive.  Although Covid-19 cases and positivity rates have…

On November 30, the State Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for COVID-19 issued an advisory to Karnataka government, detailing the measures needed to contain the second wave of the pandemic in the state. According to the TAC, the second wave is expected in January-February. Following is an edited version of the advisory. Key measures to contain second wave: The 7-day average growth rate as well as Reproduction number (Ro) of COVID cases will be closely monitored at the district and state levels for early recognition of the second wave.An epidemic intelligence team shall support the state war room for early recognition…

HC directs holding BBMP polls without delay The High Court of Karnataka directed the State Election Commission to hold elections to the 198 wards in the BBMP with speed and efficiency. Towards this, the SEC should publish the election programme within a maximum period of six weeks from the date of publication of the final reservation notification, it said. The court directed that the final notification on caste-based reservation for the 198 wards (based on the draft notification issued in September) be published within a month. By this order, the ruling party's amendment to increase the number of wards in…