Corona cases likely to reach its peak by first week of May

Bengaluru: Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar on Sunday, said the experts have warned that the infections may be at their peak by the first week of May.

He also said that the experts have to submit a report based on which the government would take appropriate measures in the upcoming days.

Sudhakar said, “According to experts, any wave will be there for 80 to 120 days, we have to be careful till May end, as this is just the beginning.”

After a meeting with the technical advisory committee (TAC) and the expert committee on Covid-19 constituted by the government, he said that cases may reach the peak during the next two to three weeks by May first week and then decrease by the end of that month.

He added, “They (experts) have given several suggestions and I have asked them to submit in a report format, which I will discuss with the chief minister and other sector ministers and officials. The suggestions are with scientific evidence, based on which the government will take necessary measures in the days to come.”

It is noted that the experts will not give any suggestions which negatively affects the economy. The minister said, “But they have asked us to control people from gathering at places for various reasons, at any cost.”

When asked about the suggestions of experts regarding lockdown, he merely said that they have sought a detailed report from the experts and the decision will be taken at the government level.

On asking about extending the Corona curfew to other states, he said that it was too early as the curfew had come into effect since last night, and it will be looked into only after analysing for three to four days.

After the video conference with PM Narendra Modi, chief minister BS Yediyurappa, on Thursday, had declared a curfew between 10 pm to 5 am in seven district centres of the state along with Manipal, from April 10 to 20 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Dr CN Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology and member of the TAC, told that Bengaluru alone may witness 15,000 to 18,000 cases every day by May 15.

He said, “Of 7,000 fresh cases that the state is reporting, lion’s share is from Bengaluru. By May 15 there are chances of it increasing as per the mathematical projection. Bengaluru is reporting in the range of 5,500 to 6,000 cases, and as per provisional estimate, the city alone may report 15,000 to 18,000 infections and we need to be prepared for it.”

He said that public cooperation is important and enforcement of restrictions is the most important thing if the spread is Covid is to be controlled.

On observing the inputs provided by the experts in the trajectory of the infection in coming days, Sudhakar said when the cases will reach their peak, the number of hospital beds will also increase and those people in home isolation have also to be strictly monitored.

The experts have advised to attain certain medicines from now itself and supplying them to private hospitals too. They have also suggested strengthening telemedicine, tele ICU, and triaging.

Indicating that Ugadi and other festivals are coming up and the movement of people from their native place to Bengaluru will spread the infection, Sudhakar said they will be checked.

He added, “We will not get to know about the spike and spread immediately, we will get to know after about 10 days as it happened during the first wave. Inter-state travels have to be monitored very strictly according to experts.”