Karnataka to conduct state-level COVID-19 prevalence survey
Bengaluru: Karnataka government on Thursday said it will conduct a survey to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 across the state and the proportion of people who have developed immunity.
The survey, which will involve adults over the age of 18, will cover 38 units, including all districts of Karnataka and eight zones of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the state health department said in a release here.
The state's COVID-19 tally stood at 2,56,975 while the death toll is 4,429 as of Thursday.
A training programme for this purpose was inaugurated on Thursday by Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey.
District Surveillance Officers, District Tuberculosis Officers, Epidemiologists, and personnel of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres under NACO (National Aids Control Organisation) are covered under the training.
The survey data is expected to guide further state interventions for COVID-19 management, the release said.
The survey, dates of which are yet to be announced, will include samples from populations at three risk levels -- low, moderate and high.
The low-risk category would include pregnant women and persons attending the outpatient department in hospitals or attendees of children or patients.
Moderate to high-risk populations will include bus conductors, vegetable vendors, healthcare workers, individuals in containment zones and in public areas such as markets, malls, bus stops, and railway stations and the elderly and those with comorbid conditions.
Data for the survey will be collected using an app to register patients, update sample collection status and lab results, the release added.
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Discoms urge Delhiites to switch off non essential lighting during Earth Hour on Saturday
New Delhi (PTI): City power discoms have urged Delhiites to participate in Earth Hour on Saturday by turning off non-essential electrical appliances between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm to promote a sustainable environment.
BSES discoms BRPL and BYPL have joined the event promoted by WWF-India.
This year's initiative is themed "Give an Hour for Earth," calling on citizens to dedicate one hour to the planet and inspire lasting change.
"As a proud partner of WWF-India, BSES has urged its around 54 lakh consumers and 2.25 crore residents across South, West, East and Central Delhi to participate in this global movement," the discom said in a statement.
Last year, Delhi saved 269 MW during Earth Hour.
From homes and markets to offices and public spaces, the city will unite in turning off non-essential lights and appliances during this hour in a collective act that emphasises a shared commitment to sustainability.
Earth Hour 2026 also marks two decades of a movement that has grown from a symbolic switch-off in Sydney in 2007 into a defining global call for climate action across more than 190 countries.
BSES plans to switch off non-essential lighting in over 400 offices covering approximately 900 square kilometres during the designated hour.
The discoms are using social media, SMS, and email to reach out to people for wider participation in the initiative.
In a statement, the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) said that it has reached out to resident welfare associations (RWAs) and other consumers to spread awareness about Earth Hour. The discom has also approached students and teachers across 150 schools, as well as residents of 218 slum clusters in the city.
