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Jeddah: The first chartered flight for repatriation passengers from Jeddah to Bengaluru organized by Karnataka NRI Forum Jeddah – Saudi Arabia was successfully landed at Bengaluru airport by 01.00 am on 19th July 2020.

Spice Jet (SG9884) departed from King Abdul Aziz International Airport Jeddah by 05.00 pm local time with 177 stranded passengers which includes 12 Pregnant Woman, 3 infants, 44 Short term visa holders, 3 medical emergency patients and 115 migrate workers and labours from various districts of Karnataka state.

Karnataka NRI Forum Jeddah, a registered charitable organization under Government of Karnataka & Indian Consulate Jeddah - Saudi Arabia, helping the Kannadigas overseas & in Karnataka State as well, has initiated major role for helping stranded Kannadigas to travel back to home. During Pandemic hundreds of stranded Kannadigas were approached to the forum and requested to arrange special chartered flight to Bengaluru from Jeddah.

Initiating from collecting the data of passengers, the forum’s special panel including its President Mr. Mohammed Mansoor, Secretary Mr. Peter Mascarenes, Vice Presidents Mr. Nasir Khurshid, Dr.Ashfaque Maniyar, Chief Coordinator Mr. Shaikh Saoud, Cultural Secretaries Mr. Arifulla Shariff and Mr. Rajesh Suvarna, Treasurer Mr. Habib Rahman and Press Secretary Mr. Baig, the forum’s members have worked very hard to conclude this task very successful. 

The forum provided food packets as refreshment, complementary PPE kitsto each passenger as precaution against the spread of any infections while travelling and also guided all passengers by supporting them in Awdha portal (Saudi Passport Department) and Seva Sindhu portal registration of Government of Karnataka.

The official travel partner ITL Travel Management Company has rendered remarkable service to the passengers not only in ticketing but also supported with top priority in confirming the aircraft from SPICE JET and availed good service from ground staff at Jeddah Airport. 

All passengers have reached safely to their homes after completing the 7 days institutional quarantine at Bengaluru. 100% passengers had NEGETIVE report on Covid-19 test made on arrival as well as after institutional quarantine. 

In the press release published from the President, Mr. Mohammed Mansoor has expressed his prodigious gratitude to the Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia H. E. Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Deputy Consul General of India - Jeddah Mr. Y Saber and Chief Minister of Karnataka State Shri B. S. Yediyurappafor providing necessary approvals and NOC for the chartered flight operation. He also conveyed his boundless appreciationto Shri B. Y. Raghavendra, Member of Parliament Shimoga District (Karnataka) for his swift support extended to the forum and as well to Dr. Aarathi Krishna, Ex-Deputy Chairperson – NRI Forum of Karnataka – Government of Karnataka for her significant guidance and support on completing this mission.

The forum has thanked all the officers in King Abdul Aziz International Airport Jeddah and Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru for the facilities provided to the passengers. The Forum has thanked all passengers travelled for their calmness and also thanked to all other members of the forum, Staff of ITL Travels and SPICE JET for their tremendous support extended throughout the mission accomplishment.

Bengaluru, Aug 3: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted late Sunday night that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

In a brief post on Twitter, Mr Yediyurappa said that he was fine but had been hospitalised on the advice of doctors. While his daughter Padmavathi has also tested positive for the virus, the Chief Minister's son, Vijayendra, has tested negative.

The Chief Minister's media team has said he has been admitted to Manipal Hospital. Mr Yediyurappa, 77, also requested those who had come in contact with him to be wary of Covid symptoms and self-isolate.

"I have tested positive for coronavirus. Whilst I am fine, I am being hospitalised as a precaution on recommendation of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," the Chief Minister's tweet read.

The testing of the Chief Minister was done as part of the routine weekly tests he undergoes along with his staff. The results of Mr Yediyurappa's gunmen and security staff, around 50 of them, are expected today.

Staff members at Mr Yediyurappa's home office, Krishna, had tested positive early last month. 

At that time Mr Yediyurappa said: "I am going to discharge my duties from home from today for the next few days in view of some of the staff in the office-cum-residence Krishna testing positive".

Mr Yediyurappa had also met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala in Bengaluru on Friday. State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai was also present at the meeting.

The Chief Minister is the second high-profile political leader to confirm testing positive for COVID-19 today; hours earlier Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted similar news.

Mr Shah, 55, too said he was "fine" and that he had been hospitalised on the "advice of doctors".

The minister also asked all those who had been in contact with him over the last few days to "please isolate yourself and get your tests done".

The Home Minister was at a cabinet meet last week, at which top colleagues, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were present.

All Covid norms, including social distancing, were followed at that meeting, sources said.

Last month Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tested positive for the virus as well. He has been in hospital since then and tweeted today to say that he was well and, minutes after Mr Yediyurappa tweeted his Covid positive status, he posted a get-well-soon message.

"I pray to God for your speedy recovery, Yediyurappaji," Mr Chouhan wrote.

Mr Chouhan had tweeted a message for Mr Shah too. "Home Minister Amit Shah, may God help you recover soon, so you can serve the nation with full energy. Our best wishes are with you," his tweet read.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also tweeted, saying: "I wish BS Yediyurappa a speedy recovery and to return with good health to continue his work for the people".

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit also tested positive today, Chennai's Kauvery Hospital, where he has been admitted, said. He is asymptomatic and clinically stable.

On Sunday morning the virus claimed the life of a UP minister - Kamal Rani Varun, 62, died at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences.

Over the last 24 hours, 54,735 cases were reported, taking the total number of cases to 17,50,723, data from the Health Ministry showed.

The continuing spike in cases over the past weeks comes as India gradually re-opens its economy after more than four months of the world's strictest lockdown. Unlock3, the third phase of easing of restrictions, came into effect on Saturday.

It took just 185 days for India to cross the 17-lakh mark after the first case was reported in Kerala in January; it took 110 days to record the first 1 lakh cases. More than 60 per cent of total cases in the country and over 50 per cent of total deaths have been recorded in July.

Also Read: Karnataka CM is in clinically stable condition: Manipal Hospital