Anger is Modi’s problem; he attacks me and my mom as he sees threat in me: Rahul

Bengaluru, Mar 27: A software engineer has been arrested for giving a "call" to the people to sneeze in the open and spread coronavirus, police said on Friday.
The person identified as Mujeeb Mohammad had made this call in a Facebook post.
"Let's join hands, go out and sneeze with open mouth in public. Spread the virus," he wrote.

"The person who put this post saying people should go out and sneeze and spread the virus has been detained. His name is Mujeeb. He works in a software company," Bengaluru Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil said in a statement.

40 migrant labourers working in Mumbai caught while trying to flee to UP in truck, booked
Meanwhile, Infosys tweeted: "We are deeply concerned with an inappropriate post being attributed to an Infosys employee. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to responsible social-sharing.

The company also said, "Our preliminary enquiry, and discussions with our employees suggest that this could be a case of a mistaken identity."
"However, given the seriousness with which we take such matters, we are investigating this further and will also assist with any independent investigation. The company would take appropriate action based on its investigation," it added

Bengaluru, May 7: Karnataka has revised its standard operating procedure (SOP) for international passengers. The first group of passengers will arrive in the state on May 8.

The number of categories has been reduced to two from three. Category A includes passengers symptomatic on arrival while Category B passengers are those asymptomatic on arrival. These are passengers who are either healthy or those having co-morbidities.

As per the revised SOP, the passenger will be released on the seventh day, if tested negative, to strict home quarantine for another seven days with stamping.

This norm is in contradiction to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ SOP for international passengers. As per the MHA’s SOP, the passengers (asymptomatic) will be under institutional quarantine for 14 days. Testing negative after 14 days, they will be allowed to go home and will undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 more days.

On the contradiction, Pandey said, "We don't take chances as we rely on tests instead of just quarantining. Other states may be depending on just 14-day institutional quarantine."

"GOI SOP doesn't talk about Covid tests on international passengers. We have put an additional safety layer of three Covid tests on returnees -- one on arrival, second from 5-7 days and last on 12th day. This will ensure definite identification of positive cases even if they are asymptomatic and their subsequent treatment. We should look at the spirit behind the order," he added.

On the 14-day additional reporting period for category B, he said, "It is implied as category B patients should report to us for 14 days after their first 14-day quarantine period is over."

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that the State would follow the Centre’s norms.

Till Tuesday, Karnataka’s SOP had three categories. Under Category A (symptomatic), 14-day institutional quarantine at COVID-19 Health Care Centre was mandatory followed by 14-day reporting period. Under Category B (asymptomatic above 60 years with co-morbidities), seven-day institutional quarantine at hotel/hostel followed by seven-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period had been recommended. The 14-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period was mandatory for Category C (asymptomatic).

Shivamogga, Apr 13: Banana farmers in Shivamogga say their crop is rotting and they are incurring huge losses amid lockdown due to COVID-19.

The farmers alleged that although permission has been granted for the sale of agricultural products, with inter-district movements being affected, the local buyers are forcing the farmers to sell their produce at ridiculously low prices.

"Local buyers are asking us to sell bananas at Rs 4-5 per kg which is impossible for us. I do not know what we can do," Vijayendra, a farmer told ANI here.

"We expected the markets to be good during the summer season, I have cultivated bananas in four acres of land. There are thousands of other farmers who cultivate it in smaller hoardings," he added.

The farmer further implored the government to ensure there is an open market and inter-district movement of agricultural produce is allowed to ensure the farmers get the right price.

Vijayendra also said that the bananas have started rotting as they were not being harvested due to the lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last month announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from March 24 midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

There is also the likelihood that the nationwide lockdown might further be extended even after the completion of the 21-day period on April 14, based on the statements from several chief ministers following a video conference with the Prime Minister held a few days earlier.