Mangaluru : Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada Kota Srinivasa Poojary said on Thursday that the Health Department will continue testing 3,350 nasal and throat swab samples daily in the district till February 2021.

Of these samples, 2,950 samples will be subjected to RT-PCR test, he said and added that testing will continue as per the instructions of the Health Department.

The Minister said in a statement on Thursday that people need not fear over the new mutation strain of coronavirus but should be cautious and continue to take precautionary measures.

An expert committee has alerted that the second wave of COVID-19 is likely to hit in January and February 2021.

Hence, the daily testing of samples will continue in the district till February. Steps will be taken to set up a war room in the district to identify in advance the possibilities of a second wave of the pandemic hitting the district.

He said that as per the existing guidelines, students, teachers and staff members of all educational institutions should get the RT-PCR test done every fortnight. The district administration has been instructed to keep beds, ventilators and ICUs ready in all hospitals in the first week of January.

Ambulances also should be kept ready to face the situation, if there is a second wave. COVID-19 care centres will also be got ready by then.

A decision on reopening schools from January will be taken in the last week of December.

The Minister said that swimming pools and stadiums for sports activities will not be opened till February 2021.