Prakash Raj wades Into Mahadayi row, says 'Kannadigas have right to the water'

Bengaluru, Mar 3: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Tuesday issued guidelines to its employees, as per advisory issued by World Health Organisation (WHO), to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"The BMTC has provided general information on the topic and SOPs for daily life and operations to our employees as per advisory issued by the WHO. The corporation has started a communication campaign about Coronavirus indicating its characteristics, known ways of infection and recommended preventive measures. This information was distributed to the staff, drivers and conductors through Whatsapp, pamphlet and email," informed BMTC.

"The information was also distributed through pamphlets at bus stations. An awareness campaign is being taken up by sharing relevant information through social media," it added.

The BMTC further said that the circular was issued to create awareness among the cleaning personnel who work in depots.

Bengaluru, Mar 23: The Karnataka government on Monday decided to purchase 1,000 ventilators from medical devices company Skanray Technologies and five lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Health Minister B Sriramulu convened a meeting with officials to review the situation in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, and with the Mysuru-based firm through a video conference.

"In the meeting, it was decided to buy 1,000 ventilators immediately", the Minister tweeted.

He said the government has already taken steps to buy ten lakh masks, and decided to purchase five lakh PPE.

"The Health Department has been working on a war- footing to halt the spread of the (COVID-19) infections", Sriramulu tweeted.

The Minister appealed to the citizens to strictly follow social distancing.

Six new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Karnataka on Sunday, taking the total number of infections to the respiratory disease to 26 -- the highest number of positive cases in a single day in the State.

The Karnataka government has announced shutdown of all commercial activities barring essential services in nine districts, where COVID-19 cases have been reported, till March 31.

They are: Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu and Belagavi, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Kasaragod, Apr 24:  Stricter measures have been enforced in more places in this district, as part of intensifying efforts aimed at containing the spread of Covid19.

According to District Collector Dr Sajith Babu, the new norms of intensified lockdown would be enforced in Kumbala, Mogral-Puthur, Chemmanad, Madhur, Muliyar and Kumbala grama panchayats, being identified as new hotspots in the district.

Earlier, door-to-door police patrolling at regular intervals have been implemented in Thalankeri, Choori, Kalanad and Nellikkunnu, where more positive cases of Covid-19 has been reported.