With eight new cases of COVID-19 being reported from Karnataka’s Davanagere district within a week, the district has lost its “green” status and has now become a “red zone”. According to sources, the administration is facing difficulties in tracing the travel history and contacts from the infected persons due to a lack of cooperation.

Earlier, the district had not reported a single new case of COVID-19 for 30 days. Three people who had tested positive for the coronavirus, including the daughter of former Union Minister GM Siddeshwar, had been discharged after their recovery. Considering the improvement in the situation, the administration had begun easing restrictions on movement and commercial activities.

But things turned for the worse this week when a fresh case emerged on Wednesday. This was a 35-year-old nurse serving at the urban health centre in Davangere with no travel history. Deputy commissioner Mahantesh Bilagi told newspersons that 20 individuals who had primary contact with the nurse had been identified. These people have been subsequently quarantined. Health and police officials are now broadening the search to determine the secondary contacts.

On Friday, the district reported its first COVID-19 death. The deceased is a 69-year old man who died of a cardiac arrest in the district hospital after complaining of breathing difficulties. Prior to being tested positive for COVID-19, he had been receiving treatment for hypertension and diabetes. The deceased’s son, three daughters-in-law and grandson have tested positive for COVID-19 as well.

Krishnagiri, which until now was in the green zone with zero cases, reported its first case today after a 67 year old patient tested positive for COVID-19. The man hailing from Vepanahalli went to Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh along with four other persons. Among the 4 members, three of them are from Krishnagiri town and one from Kaveripattinam. These 4 members have tested negative.

In light of this, the district has moved from the green zone to the orange zone. Krishnagiri town and Kaveripattinam would now come under containment zones which will be sealed and disinfected.

District Collector S Prabhakar noted that all of them were screened at the border check post and were asked to remain in home quarantine. Samples taken from the sexagenarian, which was sent to the Institute of Vector Control and Zoonoses in Hosur, returned positive on Saturday.

Following this, samples from eight of his family members have been taken and sent to Hosur for testing.

The five members had obtained a vehicle pass from the authorities in Puttaparthi. They had gone on a pilgrimage before the 21 day nation-wide lockdown was announced.