Udupi, May 29: As many as 15 fresh coronavirus positive cases were reported in Udupi district today.
11 among the new 15 covid-19 patients are males and four are females. The patients also include two children aged 6 and 7.
All of them are said to be Maharashtra returnees.
With this, the total confirmed covid-19 cases in the district mounted to 164.
Bengaluru, Jan 21: A private hospital in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, on Tuesday claimed that it has successfully performed a live liver transplant on a Jehovah's Witness from Nigeria, by not using blood or blood products, in order to protect the patient's religious beliefs.
It is said that Jehovah's Witnesses are followers of a Christian faith that prohibits the use of blood or blood products during their treatment. Gehojadak (37), a Jehovah's Witness follower, had developed decompensated liver disease and visited more than three countries seeking treatment over the last four years but was turned away by most doctors due to the highly risky nature of surgery, Aster CMI Hospital said.
The surgery was challenging compared to a normal liver transplant because in order to protect the patient's religious beliefs, the medical team could not use blood or blood products (Fresh frozen plasma, Cryoprecipitate, Platelets etc), it said in a release, adding that very few such surgeries have been successfully conducted worldwide.
The patient's brother was the donor, the hospital said, adding, without a liver transplant, Gehojadak's chances of survival were less than 10 per cent over the next two years. A team of liver specialists from the Hospital thoroughly reviewed the patient's medical history before recommending a bloodless liver transplant and charted out a feasible pathway to make the surgery a success.
"This transplant was especially challenging as we did not have the safety net (of using blood) even if the patient's life was at risk due to their advance directive. We have performed other non-transplant liver surgeries in Jehovah's Witnesses and this gave us the confidence to take on Gehojadak's transplant," Dr Rajiv Lochan, Consultant Liver Transplant Surgeon, said.
The critical surgery took a 12-hour period to complete where two teams of specialists with close to 25 doctors including anaesthetists, intensivists worked in absolute sync with each other and Gehojadak finally received a life-saving liver transplant, the Hospital said. In a period of two weeks, the patient and his brother were fit enough to go home and were discharged from the hospital.
"Even if their haemoglobin levels dropped to life-threatening levels, the patients were clear that they would not accept a blood transfusion. Keeping the limitations in mind, the most effective treatment path was planned, and we spent close to two months preparing the patients for surgery," Arun V, Consultant Anesthesiologist said. The hospital arranged customised artificial products like synthetic drug molecules, to conduct a bloodless liver transplant, he added.
Bengaluru, Mar 25: The COVID-19 count in Karnataka went up by 10 on Wednesday, reaching 51. The 10 new positives included two girls aged seven and nine who contracted the infection from their father.
The 34-year-old man had returned from Amsterdam on March 19 and tested positive as the 17th confirmed case in Karnataka.
Though his family were kept in isolation and under quarantine in their house, the children developed a cold. They were confirmed for COVID-19 infection while their mother is still negative.
The government remained tightlipped over whether or not a 70-year-old woman from Gouribidanuru who was put under house quarantine and died on Wednesday morning, tested positive for COVID-19. Government officials would neither confirm nor deny anything on the results of tests on the woman.
This evening’s bulletin issued by the Karnataka health department continued to indicate the strong correlation of coronavirus infection and foreign travel.
Among the positive cases identified today were
A 63-year-old Bengaluru man and his 59-year-old wife, with a history of travel to Brazil and Argentina.
Two 26-year-old men with a history of travel to Spain and arrived back in Bengaluru via Dubai.
Two others, a 63-year-old woman and her 69-year-old husband, had a history of travel to Athens and London.
A 34-year-old man, a resident of Udupi, who returned from Dubai
A 37-year old woman, a resident of Chitradurga, with a history of travel to Guyana and arrived back in Bengaluru via Delhi
Speaking to the media, medical education minister K Sudhakar said health officials were apprehensive the positives may go up tonight.
Of the corona positive cases detected in Karnataka so far, three have been discharged after quarantine, and 47 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals in a stable condition. There has been one fatality.
As per a recommendation by the high-level health committee, the government has decided to convert the Bowring Hospital into a coronavirus treatment hospital facility along with the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for Chest Diseases and Victoria Hospital.
“The number of positive cases are growing at an alarming rate and the government needs more treatment facilities. The government is for burning of COVID-19 death cases. However, due to some religious practices, it has been decided they would be buried in 8 ft deep pits,'' Dr Sudhakar said.
Bengaluru, Mar 18: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said that the lockdown in the state will continue till March 31st. However restaurants and hotels will remain open.
Speaking to reporters here, Yediyurappa had said, "...we need to take more stringent measures, when the US President has recommended avoiding gatherings ofmore than 10 people in his country. We will discuss in the cabinet and take all necessary measures."
Two more coronavirus cases have been registered in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 18 March, taking the total infected cases to 13, ANI reported quoting state Health Minister B Sriramulu.
Meanwhile, Dental clinics in Bengaluru have shut shop after order from Indian Dental Association and Karnataka State Denta Council. The doctors have been advised to treat the patients only if there is an emergency.
In Udupit distrcit, Section 144(3) have been imposed across the district by DC G Jagadish.
No religious events allowed, devotees should not enter temples, churches or Masjid's in groups. Tourist locations closed. Students in PGs and Hostels asked to return home.
While, schools and colleges remained shut, IT professionals and other professionals working in air- conditioned places were advised to work from home. Till Tuesday evening, 13 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.
The State government had on March 13 leapt into action announcing lock-down of malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs for a week.
Instructions were also given to stop all kinds of exhibitions, summer camps, conferences, fairs, marriages, sports and engagement events and birthday parties state-wide for a week from Saturday.
While, schools and colleges remained shut, IT professionals and other professionals working in air- conditioned places were advised to work from home. Till Tuesday evening, 11 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka, including one death.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that there are 276 coronavirus infected Indians abroad - 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, one each in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong SAR, Kuwait, and Rwanda.
Earlier in the day, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India neared 150, according to the Health Ministry data.
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