Ullal: Vigilantes attack college student for roaming with girl; two arrested

Bengaluru, July 15: The family members of a 67-year-old man, who had developed some symptoms of Covid-19, was in for a rude shock when a “reputed” private hospital in Bengaluru’s Whitefield quoted estimated bill of Rs 9.09 lakh for 10 days.

The elderly man was rushed to Columbia Asia Hospital even before receiving his covid-19 test report. But after a look at the estimated bill, the family chose not to admit him there.

The break-up of the estimated bill included Rs 1.40 lakh for ventilator, Rs 3 lakh for medicines, medical supplies and consumables, Rs 2 lakh for laboratory investigations, Rs 75,000 for room rent, Rs 75,000 towards professional fee, Rs 58,500 for nursing charges, Rs 35,000 for radiology investigations and physiotherapy, and Rs 25,000 for equipment and surgical items.

The hospital authorities reportedly told the family members that the actual bill could be higher in the event of complications, unanticipated extension of stay and comorbidities.

“He was tested on Sunday and we were waiting for the result. On Monday, he started gasping for breath. Columbia Asia Hospital told us they had an ICU bed and we rushed him to the emergency care. When they showed us the estimate, we were shocked,” said Abdul Bashir, a nephew of the patient.

“We then contacted Dr Taha Mateen of HBS Hospital through an NGO ‘Mercy Mission’. We got him admitted there for just Rs 25,000,” he said adding that Hospitals should not take advantage when emotions are running high. 

Amaravati, May 7: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has assured him to offer immediate help to stranded Andhra fishermen.

Around 300 Andhra Pradesh fishermen are stranded on the coast of Malpe village in Udupi district.

"Karnataka CM has responded very positively and assured to offer the stranded fishermen immediate help. The fishermen hail from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh.

Yediyurappa has also said that their team was also contacting Andhra Pradesh authorities to safely bring them back to their home state," Naidu said in a statement on Twitter.

In a separate letter to Yediyurappa, Naidu lauded the tremendous efforts that the government of Karnataka has been putting to fight COVID-19 and expressed his solidarity with the people there in this critical time.

Naidu said that many Telugu people that have migrated to other states for work were facing various problems due to the COVID-induced lockdown.

"In this backdrop, I would like to bring to your notice that around 300 fishing folk from Srikakulam District are stranded in Malpe Village, Udupi District, Karnataka. Their families, relatives and well-wishers are deeply worried for their safety and well being," Naidu said.

The TDP chief said that on behalf of those families and on his own behalf, he would appeal for sending the stranded fishermen back to their respective homes.

"In case that is not possible, I request you to provide them with shelter, food, water, medical aid and other essential commodities until the end of COVID lockdown," TDP chief said in a letter.

Udupi, Jun 16: A young software engineer died on board a bus bound for Udupi’s Kundapura from Bengaluru due to suspected cardiac arrest this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Chaitanya (25), son of Vishnu Murthy, a resident of Kumbri in Koteshwar in Kundapura taluk. He was working for a software firm Bengaluru.

Chaitanya had boarded a ‘Durgamba’ bus from Bengaluru at 9 pm on June 15. At around 6.30 am on June 16, he called his father and informed that the bus had reached Barkur.

When his father called Chaitanya again at around 7.30 am, the bus driver answered the call and told him that his son had fallen ill and been taken to Vinaya hospital in Kundapur.

Vishnu Murthy rushed to the hospital, but was informed by the doctors that Chaitanya was declared brought dead.

A case has been registered at Kundapura police station. Even though it is suspected that he died of cardiac arrest, the exact cause will be known only after the post-mortem.