ASHAs hold protest across Karnataka demanding PPE kits, salary hike

Bengaluru, June 19: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa''s home-office in the city centre was shut for sanitisation after the husband of a woman employee working there tested COVID-19 positive, an official said on Friday.

"The chief minister''s home-office has been closed for sanitisation after the employee''s husband tested positive for coronavirus," an official of the Chief Minister''s Office told media persons here.

The employee did not report for duty for two days after her husband was infected with the virus.

"The chief minister''s engagements, including an official event involving the state police department were shifted to the Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat)," said the official.

As the employee was on outpost duty, she did not come in contact with the Chief Minister or his cabinet colleagues and other senior officials.

Earlier in the day, the divisional railway manager''s office in the city centre was shut for sanitisation after a visiting employee tested positive for coronavirus.

"The three-floor DRM office has been closed for the day for santisation and all employees have been advised to work from home as one of our staffer who visited the office early this week tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday," senior Divisional Commercial Manager Krishna Reddy told media persons here.

The DRM''s office is located adjacent to the Krantivira Sangoli Rayanna (KSR) main railway station in the city centre.

The state''s mini secretariat Vikas Soudha adjacent to the iconic Vidhana Soudha in the city centre has also been shut for sanitisation after a government employee working in it tested COVID positive.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), entrusted with the task of containing the virus spread, has already sanitised a portion of the massive building in the city centre.

After an employee of the food and civil supplies department tested positive, all offices on the ground floor of the mini-secretariat were sealed and sanitised.

The city registered 17 fresh cases on Thursday, taking the total number of positive cases to 844. With 14 discharged earlier in the day, 384 have been cured of the infection, while 408 are under treatment.

Of the 114 COVID deaths across the southern state since March 10, Bengaluru has accounted for 51 till date.

Bengaluru, Jun 22: Areas having three to four COVID-19 cases being termed as clusters will be totally sealed and maximum testing will be conducted there, moreover only critical cases will be shifted to COVID hospitals in Bengaluru, said Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Speaking to media persons, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "It has been decided that clusters (areas having 3-4 #COVID19 cases) will be totally sealed and maximum testing will be done there. Only critical cases will be shifted to Covid hospitals. I demanded that police personnel are tested on priority."

"A lot of issues were discussed about the spike in COVID-19 cases. As far as hospitals are concerned there are two types of patients, asymptomatic and symptomatic, moderate and critical. Moderate and normal cases can be shifted to COVID centres," he added.

Bommai further added that beds in hospitals need to be reserved for corona warriors as well.

"There has to be a coordination between BBPM who brings the patient and the hospital, the moment a positive case is reported to avoid the waiting period. Even in hospitals, some beds have to be reserved for corona warriors. Community transmission is not yet there but we have to be prepared," he added.

Earlier today, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had called an emergency meeting of concerned officials and departments to discuss measures to control rising COVID19 cases in Bengaluru.

As the numbers of COVID-19 cases are increasing in Bengaluru at an alarming rate, the Chief Minister opined that this can be contained only if preventive measures were implemented strictly.

He directed the officials to implement lockdown strictly in the clusters, which reported more number of cases, especially KR Market and surrounding areas such as Siddapura, VV Puram, Kalasipalya. It was decided to seal the adjoining streets, where the cases are reported.

He said that stringent action would be taken against those who violate quarantine and FIR would be filed if necessary.

Officers were directed to fix rates for treatment of COVID patients in private hospitals to make coronavirus treatment accessible to all.

Yediyurappa further instructed officials to set up fever clinics in all wards and maintain hygiene and provide other basic amenities to the people who were quarantined in social welfare hostels and other government institutions.

"COVID-19 should be contained without affecting the economic activities in Bengaluru, which resumed recently," he said.

"COVID War Room shall have real-time information on the availability of beds in various COVID hospitals and shall facilitate the infected person to avail treatment without losing any time," added Yediyurappa.

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 11: In a unique form of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a bridegroom in Kerala, Haja Hussain, came for his wedding ceremony riding on a camel holding an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) poster in his hands, on the outskirts of the capital city on Monday.

Accompanied by a large crowd mostly comprising his friends and relatives, Hussain carried a placard which read "Reject CAA, Boycott NRC and NPR" as he arrived at the wedding hall in Vazhimukku, about 20 km from Thiruvananthapuram, on a camel back.

Haja Hussain said that he chose to do this to express his protest against the CAA.

"Along with the ' mahr' (the custom where the groom hands over gold or money to the bride), I also gave a copy of the Constitution. CAA should be rejected," said Haja Hussain, who is a local businessman.