BJP, HDK trade barbs over his ‘edited video’ containing statement on defence forces

Mangaluru, May 5: As many as 7,119 labourers, who were stranded in Dakshina Kannada district, were sent to their native places in buses operated by KSRTC’s Mangaluru and Puttur divisions.

After the announcement of lockdown, the stranded labourers were provided shelter in various halls, Town Hall and government hostels in the district.

The stranded labourers from Kuloor, Panjimogaru, Panambur, Baikampady, Yeyyadi, Mulki, Ullal, Bunder, Hoige Bazar and from taluk centres, who wished to take up farming activities in their villages, were sent back in KSRTC and private buses. As many as 266 buses were engaged for ferrying the labourers.

The labourers underwent health check-up prior to their departure to their native villages, Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh said.

New Delhi, Jun 13: Loss of smell or taste has been added to the list of COVID-19 symptoms, according to the revised clinical management protocols released by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

The ministry said that coronavirus-infected patients reporting to various COVID-19 treatment facilities have been reporting symptoms like fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, expectoration, myalgia, rhinorrhea, sore throat and diarrhea.

They have also complained of loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) preceding the onset of respiratory symptoms.

Older people and immune-suppressed patients in particular may present with atypical symptoms such as fatigue, reduced alertness, reduced mobility, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, delirium, and absence of fever, the ministry said.

Children might not have reported fever or cough as frequently as adults.

The US's national public health institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), had in early May incorporated "a new loss of taste or smell" in the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

According to the data from Integrated Health Information Platform and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, portal case investigation forms for COVID 19 (n=15,366), the details on the signs and symptoms reported are (as on June 11), fever (27 per cent), cough (21 pc), sore throat (10 pc), breathlessness (8 pc), Weakness (7 pc), running nose (3pc ) and others 24 pc.

According to the health ministry, people infected by the novel coronavirus are the main source of infection.

Direct person-to-person transmission occurs through close contact, mainly through respiratory droplets that are released when the infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

These droplets may also land on surfaces, where the virus remains viable. Infection can also occur if a person touches an infected surface and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

The median incubation period is 5.1 days (range 2–14 days). The precise interval during which an individual with COVID-19 is infectious is uncertain.

As per the current evidence, the period of infectivity starts 2 days prior to onset of symptoms and lasts up to 8 days.

The extent and role played by pre-clinical/ asymptomatic infections in transmission still remain under investigation.

Kottayam, Mar 31: A 91-year-old and 88-year-old senior citizen couple were discharged from the isolation ward of government medical college after getting treated from COVID-19 on Monday.

"It is a testimony to the dedication and expertise of the medical staff as well as the strength of the Kerala public health system. We shall overcome," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac tweeted as he praised the healthcare services for treating the elderly couple considered as highly vulnerable to the contagious virus.

Apart from the two senior citizens, five others suffering from COVID-19 have also been treated and discharged from the hospital.
Thomas, 91, and his wife Mariyamma, 88, who were under treatment at the Kottayam Medical College were already suffering from various age-related problems. The 91-year-old had a heart attack and severe breathing trouble when he was under treatment.

"The aged couple based in Ranni in Pathanamthitta district had got infected with the virus after coming into contact with their son, wife and grandson who had arrived from Italy. COVID-19 was confirmed in them on March 8. They were admitted to Pathanamthitta hospital. However, they were shifted to the Medical College in Kottayam the very next day as their condition was critical," the Kerala government said.

The family will have to remain in home-quarantine for 14 more days.

The Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 and the number of total coronavirus cases to 1,251 as on Monday. 

There are 1117 active cases in the country with the state of Kerala contributing the highest number of cases which stands at 202.