Cloth-like plastic bags also banned in Karnataka, says official

Mangaluru, Jun 17: The first chartered flight repatriating Indians stranded at Kuwait for months landed at the international airport here.

The Jazeera Airways flight privately booked by the Keralites and coastal Kannadigas living in the Arab country had left sometime in the afternoon with 160 passengers on board.

The flight also carried the mortal remains of Sathish Kochu Shetty (45), who died in a fire tragedy at a refinery in Kuwait on June 14.

Bengaluru, Jun 25: In the wake of unexpected surge in the coronavirus positive cases in Bengaluru, the special task force team assigned with the task of creating Covid Care Centres (CCC) has made elaborate arrangements the Haj Bhavan.

Civic authorities have already shifted around 50 Covid-19 patients to Haj Bhavan. 

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said on Thursday that due to an increase in the number of cases and due to shortage of beds in hospitals, the Haj Bhavan has been converted into CCC.

Headed by Rajendar Kumar Kataria, Secretary, Horticulture and Sericulture department, the CCC task force has arranged 400 beds at Haj Bhavan. 

“The facility at Haj Bhavan has already been made operational. Doctors, nurses, paramedical and house-keeping staff from BBMP have been deployed as per SOPs. All essential equipment, medicines and other facilities have been made available in adequate numbers at the Haj Bhavan,” Kataria explained.

In the second phase, the task force team has identified hostel rooms of seven engineering colleges, which would fetch about 3,200 beds to house asymptomatic Covid-19 patients. 

If need arises, the task team in the third and final phase, will consider the facilities such as Palace Grounds, Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, Indoor Stadiums at Kanteerava and Koramangala to be converted as CCC.

Riyadh, Apr 24: As many as eleven Indian nationals have died due to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.

"As per information available with the Embassy as of April 22, eleven Indian nationals (four in Madinah, three in Makkah, two in Jeddah, one in Riyadh and one in Dammam) have passed away due to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia," the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia said in a press release on Wednesday.

It urged the Indian community to remain calm and avoid spreading of rumours amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"The Embassy also reiterates the need for the community to remain calm and avoid spreading of rumours that may create panic. It is important that social media is not used to disseminate false messages and spread hatred along communal lines that can vitiate the atmosphere," the Embassy said.

"As stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking, and our response and conduct should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood," it said.

Moreover, several measures on the supply of food, medicines and other emergency assistance to Indians in need are being implemented across the Kingdom.

Earlier, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ausaf Sayeed on April 22 had interacted with Indian community volunteers from the smaller towns all across the Kingdom to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 situation, and evaluate the implementation of various measures to ensure the welfare of Indian nationals.