111-year-old Shivakumara Swamiji hospitalised

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Saturday initiated Phase I clinical trials to use plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients at city-based BMC Victoria Hospital.

Sriramulu was accompanied by Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

"Karnataka has taken a lead role as we initiate Phase I clinical trials to use Convalescent Plasma Therapy for severe COVID-19 infected patients. BMC Victoria hospital took the first step today. We are determined to vanquish this enemy of mankind," Sriramulu said in a tweet.

"I wish our team of doctors at BMC Victoria hospital and team led by Dr US Vishal Rao a great success. This will be a torchbearer in our fight against Corona," he said in another tweet.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the state has so far reported 474 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which include 152 discharged or cured patients and 18 deaths.

Bengaluru, Feb 20: The poultry industry is facing losses amid rumours of the discovery of a chicken infected with coronavirus in Bengaluru.

DK Kantharaju, president, Karnataka Cooperative Poultry Federation said, "Karnataka is facing losses of Rs 60 to 65 crores. The consumption percentage has also decreased by 30-35 per cent".

Atiq, a meat seller, said, "Because of coronavirus people are scared. But I want to say that chicken is safe to consume here. All this fear is caused due to fake news on social media."

Another person Abdul Hafeez said, "Chicken and coronavirus are not related. People are scared because of what is being spread on social media. The business has definitely gone down due to fear of coronavirus."

Bengaluru, Mar 9: The BJP government in Karnataka on Monday scrapped the Shaadi Bhagya Scheme that was launched by Congress government in the state in 2013.

Under the scheme, Rs 50,000 was given to Muslim brides for marriage expenses after they submitted their Aadhar and BPL cards.

While the previous coalition government had allocated Rs 60 crore budget for the scheme, the BJP government decided to discontinue the scheme. Congress called the move by the state government as "anti-minority".

"They have launched a scheme for the majority community. I welcome that. But why are you discontinuing one scheme? It is a small scheme where marginalized people get a little help from the government," Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad told reporters.

"He (Karnataka Chief Minister) has wilfully reduced the money allotted to all the schemes," he added.

BJP MLA Basavana Gowda Patil Yantal welcomed the decision of the Karnataka Government to scrap the scheme.

"The minority does not need appeasement because equal citizenship needs to apply to all in this country. I wholeheartedly welcome this move by the Karnataka Government," Yantal told reporters.

"Should we not give the majority people anything in India? India not giving anything to the majority, is that secular? We have already given them Pakistan," he said.

The MLAs from the minority community in the state have demanded a meeting with the Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.