Army soldier from Karnataka killed in Pokhran bombing

Bengaluru, May 25: After facing flak from the opposition for skipping quarantine rules to contain COVID-19 spread, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda on Monday said there are certain exemption clauses for those who hold certain responsible posts, adding that he cannot go under quarantine as he has to ensure medical supply in every part of the country.

"Guidelines are applicable to all citizens, but there are certain exemption clauses, for those who hold certain responsible posts," Gowda told media on being asked about allegations by opposition parties that he did not go to required institutional quarantine after domestic air travel from Delhi to Bengaluru.

"I am a Minister and I am heading Pharmaceutical Ministry. If the supply of medicines and other things is not proper then what doctors can do for patients, is it not a failure of government? It' is my responsibility to ensure the supply of medicines to each corner of the country," he said.

Earlier in the day, the BJP MP, who arrived at Bengaluru airport from Delhi and straight away got into his car and drove to his residence. He skipped the institutional quarantine measures as set by the Central government.

Karnataka Director General of Police Praveen Sood said: "Incoming domestic flight passengers from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh will undergo 7-day institutional Quarantine followed by home quarantine."

Mangaluru, Jul 15: Amidst mounting coronavirus cases, the district administration has finalised 80 covid care centres (CCC) in Dakshina Kannada.

Sindhu B Rupesh, deputy commissioner of DK, said that as many as 80 premises that were functioning as quarantine centres have now been identified as CCCs in the district.

People in the district have been demanding that CCCs should be opened for asymptomatic cases in the district too. 

A majority of around 1,500 active cases in Dakshina Kannada are asymptomatic, and the CCCs will help those planning to go to private hospitals to reduce their treatment costs.

Additional deputy commissioner M J Roopa said that the 80 CCCs identified throughout the district will work as care centres for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

A medical team will attend to the centres, and supply of food and water will be taken care of by the government. In case of any health issues, the patient will be shifted to the Covid hospital, she said.

“All asymptotic Covid-19 patients, who are unable to opt for home isolation, are being kept in CCCs. A designated health team will monitor each CCC in the district. Meanwhile, the nearest public health centre (PHC) will have an ambulance on standby in case of an emergency,” she added.

Bengaluru, Mar 10: With concerns growing by the day, the Karnataka government is readying three more labs to test throat swab samples.

Currently, only two labs in Bengaluru — National Institute of Virology and Virus Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (VRDL) lab attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute — are categorised biosafety level 2+, a requirement for coronavirus tests.

Now, the government is working on upgrading three more labs, one each in the government medical colleges at Hassan, Mysuru and Shivamogga. “The labs will be ready within one week,” the authorities said.

Currently, the labs are testing only throat swab samples of suspected patients and taking 24 hours to give the results. “A patient’s blood sample will be collected only if he or she tests positive for covid-19 infection in the first throat swab sample.

While earlier the state would send all samples of suspected coronavirus cases to NIV, Pune, the two labs were upgraded to biosafety level 2+ in mid-February.