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Amid Zika virus fears, UT Khader meets WHO officials

[email protected] (CD Network)
January 29, 2016

Mangaluru, Jan 29: Amidst fear over spread of the mysterious Zika virus across the world, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader has discussed the issue with representatives of WHO.

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“I had a discussion about Zika virus with WHO representative on Thursday. I will meet them again on Friday to understand about the screening protocols at airport since very little is known to us. We will go according to the advice given by the WHO. If screening is required, we will have experts deployed at airports to screen flyers exhibiting symptoms of Zika virus infection and help stop further spread of the deadly virus,” he told media persons in the city on Friday.

He also said the health minister instead of trying to screen people at airports - most of whom will be asymptomatic - should concentrate on eliminating breeding sites of mosquitoes especially Aedes aegypti mosquito. “Chile and Canada are at zero risk since the Aedes mosquito is not found there,” he noted.

He also pointed out that since there are reports that the first case was confirmed in South East Asia in 1966, and in the late 1970s it was documented in Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Indonesia, the virus may be dormant in Indian population. ``what is the possibility that it is not already in Indian population,'' he questioned. Regarding Zica virus causing Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), Dr Kakkilaya said even in Mangaluru we have GBS cases. “But we do not know whether it is related to Zica virus,” he said.

Pan American Health organisation says that an increase in GBS has been observed in areas where a Zika virus epidemic has been documented like French Polynesia and Brazil.

WHAT IS ZIKA?

The Zika virus is spread from person to person through the bite of an Aedes aegypti mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis. The incubation period for the virus is two to seven days. Like in dengue, patients develop fever, rash and joint pain but in a mild form. Doctors advice against taking aspirin and non-ster oidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and Naproxen. According to CDC, deaths caused by the Zika virus are rare. So far, there's been one report of possible spread of the virus through blood transfusion and one report of possible spread of the virus through sexual contact.

Experts believe it's only a matter of time before India becomes its next target The Zika virus, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito (the same vector that is known to transmit dengue and chicken guinea) has spread widely in Brazil with more than 2,500 cases reported in 2015. And according to doctors, the mosquite-borne disease should be a cause for concern in India. Healthcare workers in Brazil woke up to the crisis when pregnant women infected with Zika were discovered to have delivered babies with microcephaly, or, an abnormally small head and incomplete brain development. While medical experts were in the middle of establishing more links between the virus and the birth defect, an advisory issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week cautioned pregnant women and those of childbearing age against travelling to Brazil and 13 other countries where cases of Zika virus have surfaced.

Comments

AK
 - 
Saturday, 30 Jan 2016

Everything happens with the permission of ALLAH... So ask protection from HIM alone .. U Will be saved from any type of disease unless it is decreed on U .. Just follow the cleanliness, where ever U Go .. Keep Clean-your home, city, society & help others in keeping clean to prevent such Virus... Have faith in ALLAH & never fear.

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News Network
July 31,2020

Bengaluru, July 31: Denying irregularities in covid-19 equipment purchase by the Karnataka government, the state unit of the BJP has issued legal notices to Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar demanding that they apologize or face a defamation suit. 

The notices seek a public apology for the allegations levelled against the government on irregularities in the procurement of Covid-19 equipment and supplies. 

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress president, have been doggedly pursuing allegations of corruption against the BJP government and have demanded a judicial inquiry. 

BJP general secretary N Ravi Kumar said that while the Congress leaders claimed that Rs 4,157 crore was spent during Covid-19, they also allege that the government has not responded to any of the 20 letters written by them. "If the government has not provided any answer to the Opposition, where did they get the figures from," he said.

None of the allegations of corruption is specific and the statements made are factually incorrect. "These statements, without any basis, have been issued calculatedly to lower the image and damage the reputation of the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party, representatives of the party and the ministers in the government," the notice issued on behalf of Ravi Kumar read.

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News Network
July 3,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 3: The Karnataka government is allowing select asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients to recuperate at home as part of home isolation guidelines, an official said on Friday.

"Only those who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic shall be allowed to be in isolation at home," said a health official, highlighting that such patients should be properly oriented on home isolation.

However, before home isolation, a health team will visit the patient's house and assess its suitability for executing home isolation.

Similarly, the patient should be provided with a tele-consultation link for initial triage, daily follow up and during the entire home isolation time.

For a daily update, the patient isolated at home should give a report on his health status to the physician or health authorities.

"The home isolation shall be with the knowledge of the family members, neighbours, treating physician and local health authorities," said the official.

Though home isolation is allowed, it is not a blanket permission for all asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases in Karnataka to avail.

"Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts. A care giver should be available to provide care on 24x7 basis," said the official.

Likewise, the caregiver should also have a regular communication link between him and the hospital during the home isolation.

No patient above 50 years will be allowed to avail home isolation.

"If the patient has the following comorbidities: hypertension, diabetes, obesity, thyroid disease, they shall be well managed and under good clinical control as assessed by medical officer," he said.

However, patients with comorbidities such as kidney diseases, dialysis, heart diseases, stroke, tuberculosis, cancer and HIV cannot avail home isolation.

Likewise, immunity compromised patients and those on steroids also cannot be on home isolation.

Though pregnant women are not allowed to avail this facility, lactating women are allowed after due instruction and assessment.

The Health Department has also issued several other guidelines and protocols for a patient choosing home isolation.

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News Network
May 28,2020

Bengaluru, May 28: As many as 115 new coronavirus cases were reported in Karnataka on Thursday taking the infection count to 2,533, Karnataka Minister S Suresh said.

The total coronavirus cases include 834 discharges, 1,650 active cases, 47 deaths so far due to the disease and two deaths due non-COVID causes, Suresh Kumar, who is minister for primary and secondary education, said during the daily COVID-19 briefing.

According to him, 29 cases were reported in Udupi on Thursday, followed by 24 in Dakshina Kannada district, 13 in Hassan, 12 in Bidar, nine in Bengaluru Urban, seven in Yadagiri, six in Chitradurga, five in Kalaburagi, four in Haveri, three in Chikkamagaluru, two in Vijayapura and one in Raichur.

The minister said among the new cases, 95 are inter-state passengers and two international passengers.

According to the health department, 84 infected people have returned from Maharashtra and eight from Tamil Nadu.

Among those discharged today, 13 are in Davangere, 12 in Dakshina Kannada, nine each in Yadagiri and Vijayapura, five in Gadag, three in Belagavi, one each in Mysuru and Bagalkote.

Two are severe acute respiratory infection cases.

There were, however, no coronavirus related deaths in the state today, the minister said.

Kumar said the government has issued another circular making changes in the quarantine rules.

"A person who has completed seven days of institutional quarantine and is asymptomatic can be permitted for home quarantine without a COVID test, subject to undergoing medical check-up," the minister said.

According to the circular, all elderly people of above 60 years of age and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, heart ailment and renal diseases, are required to be clinically evaluated diligently prior to shifting them to home quarantine.

Such people will be under mandatory home quarantine for seven days, the circular read.

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