Bengaluru Authorities Say Over 3,000 COVID-19 Patients Untraceable

Many people who were tested gave wrong information about their address and contact numbers at the time of testing.

Medics wearing PPE suits stand outside the COVID-19 ward of Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru on 17 June. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

More than 3,000 patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bengaluru remain untraceable according to the city civic authority.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said a total of 3,338 persons whose sample tested positive remain untraced and the Palike was trying to address the concern. He claimed that the people who were tested gave wrong information about their address and contact numbers at the time of testing, while speaking with The Times of India.

This number 3,338 comprises more than 7 percent of the cumulative positive patients till date and the authorities do not know if these persons are home quarantined or not.

Speaking to NDTV, the Commissioner said while wrong details were given by others as well, some of the persons could be traced with the help of the police. He added some people would leave their homes after coming to know that they have turned positive.

Speaking to TNM, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sekhar said that this issue is occurring in Mysuru as well, along with all major districts in the state. He urged the people to cooperate with the authorities so that the pandemic can be managed and the infection rate can be reduced.

Officials hinted that after these incidents, authorities are now insisting that patients provide a government identification document and their phone numbers are verified.

This revelation comes as the state, especially Bengaluru, is grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

While Karnataka reported the highest single-day addition of cases since the onset of the pandemic with 5,199 cases on Sunday, Bengaluru reported 1,950 new cases on the same day.

Incidentally, earlier this week, it was reported that the government was not aware of exactly how many patients were admitted to which private COVID-19 Care Centres. All these patients are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and do not need hospitalisation.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)