Mangaluru Airport to go silent from January 2018

Bengaluru, Feb 9: The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Services Department has kept 138 persons across the state under observation in the wake of novel coronavirus (nCov) scare, a health official said on Saturday.

"We are observing 138 people across the state, including in Bengaluru," the department's Communicable Diseases Wing Joint Director Prakash Kumar told news agency.

Though no coronavirus-positive case has been reported from Karnataka so far, four persons have been admitted in a state hospital under medical observation, Kumar confirmed.

Of the 104 samples sent for testing from the state, 85 have, so far, been declared negative. As many as 130 persons in the state were kept under home-isolation observation.

Four Karnataka districts bordering Kerala — Kodagu, Mangluru, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru — continue to be under surveillance after three positive coronavirus cases were reported in Kerala.

On Saturday, it was reported that three persons from Udupi were isolated at the Ajjarkad Government Hospital. Two of them had travelled to China while the other had returned to Udupi from Japan.

From January 20 till Saturday, 14,153 passengers underwent thermal screening at the Kempegowda International Airport, including three who had a history of visiting China’s Wuhan, the epicenter of the nCoV outbreak.

The '104 Arogya Sahayavani' call centre, which people can call for guidance on coronavirus, has clocked 1,792 calls so far.

"In case people with recent travel history to China and other affected countries develop any symptoms, they are requested to call 104 or health authorities and provide all necessary details in order to take necessary measures and are requested to be quarantined at home," reiterated the department.

Three confirmed cases of coronavirus were earlier reported in Kerala and over 722 deaths were confirmed around the world, mostly in mainland China.

Belgaum, Feb 24: Around 20 people entered a boys' hostel premises in Karnataka's Belgaum with rods and bats and destroyed properties allegedly over ragging of a girl by two hostel residents.

The incident took place on February 23 and was captured in the CCTV camera.

According to Belgaum Police, a gang of 20 people entered Dr BR Ambedkar post metric hostel premises in Belgaum with rods and bats. The group destroyed the properties of hostel, bikes, and scooters.

Police said this is an issue of ragging and during the incident, no students were injured.

Further, the investigation is underway.

May 10: Azaan is an integral part of the faith, not the gadget, says veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, asking that the Islamic call to prayer on loudspeakers should be stopped as it causes "discomfort" to others.

In a tweet on Saturday, Akhtar wondered why the practice was 'halaal' (allowed) when it was, for nearly half a century in the country, considered 'haraam' or forbidden.

"In India for almost 50 years Azaan on the loud speak was Haraam. Then it became Halaal and so halaal that there is no end to it, but there should be an end to it. Azaan is fine but loud speaker does cause of discomfort for others. I hope that atleast this time they will do it themselves (sic)," Akhtar tweeted.

When a user asked his opinion on loudspeakers being used in temples, the 75-year-old writer said everyday use of speakers is a cause of concern.

"Whether it's a temple or a mosque, if you're using loudspeakers during a festival, it's fine. But it shouldn't be used everyday in either temples or mosques.

"For more than thousand years Azaan was given without the loud speaker. Azaan is the integral part of your faith, not this gadget," he replied.

Earlier in March, Akhtar had supported the demand to shut mosques amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, saying even Kaaba and Medina have been closed due to the pandemic.

He had also appealed to the Muslim community to offer prayers from home in the holy month of Ramzan, which began on April 24.

"I request all the Muslim brothers that now that Ramzan is coming, please say your prayers but make sure that this doesn't cause problems to anyone else. The prayers that you do in the mosque, you can do that at home. According to you, the house, the ground, this all has been made by Him. Then you can do your prayers anywhere," he had said.