High testing levels stressed to prevent second wave

Kerala positivity at above 9%; experts in Karnataka, with 1.46%, want testing momentum maintained.

Kerala’s test positivity rate of 9.59% for COVID-19 was reflected in 5,722 new cases on Saturday from testing of 60,210 samples.

The test positivity rate was 9%-10% for the past three days.

COVID-19 deaths on Saturday rose again as 25 more fatalities were added.

Seven deaths were reported from Thiruvananthapuram, five from Alappuzha, four from Kozhikode, three from Palakkad, two each from Malappuram and Kottayam and one each from Thrissur and Kollam.

Ernakulam topped the districts on incidence with 797 new cases, Malappuram 764 cases, Kozhikode 710, Thrissur 483, Palakkad 478, Kollam 464, Kottayam 423, Thiruvananthapuram 399, Alappuzha 383, Pathanamthitta 216, Kannur 211, Idukki 188, Wayanad 152 and Kasaragod 104 cases.

Andhra Pradesh added 1,160 infections and seven deaths on Saturday.

The total samples tested, at 95,43,177, had a positivity rate of 9.02%, while 68,307 fresh samples tested had 1.70%.

Chittoor reported two deaths and Anantapur, East Godavari, Guntur, Kadapa and Krishna one death each.

Telangana recorded 925 cases and three deaths on Friday. There were 161 cases in Greater Hyderabad , 91 in Medchal Malkajgiri, 75 in Rangareddy and five in Medak.

Karnataka’s total tests crossed one crore on Saturday, but experts wanted continued high testing till March to avoid a second wave.

The test positivity rate (TPR) was 1.46% in the last three days.

The State reported 1,781 new cases and 20 new deaths on Saturday.

The day’s test positivity rate was 1.42%.

(With inputs from Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Bengaluru bureaus)

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