Rebel Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav denies reports about he joining BJP

Bengaluru, Apr 15: Bengaluru Commissioner of Police, Bhaskar Rao, said that prohibitory order under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, will remain in place for all parts of the City Commissionerate till April 20.

Section 144 of CrPC prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area.

"Prohibitory order under section 144 of CrPC will remain in force, in all parts of the Bengaluru City Commissionerate for a period up to 12 am of April 20 with effect from 12 am of April 14," according to Rao.

Karnataka, so far, has 258 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 9 deaths being reported due to the infection, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

Bengaluru, Jul 19: Senior JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday advised the Karnataka government to utilise the services of private medical colleges in treating Covid-19 patients, by taking them into confidence, instead of threatening them with license cancellation for not complying with directives.

He also said a concentrated effort should be taken in the fight against coronavirus. "It was wrong for any hospital to deny treatment. It is also not correct on part of the government to threaten the private medical colleges with cancellation of their licence for that reason. It won't be of any help at this time of medical emergency.

Remember that MCI has the authority to cancel licenses, not government," Kumaraswamy tweeted. "Instead of showing fury on private medical colleges at such a time, concentrate on taking their service by taking them into confidence. Look into their needs. I urge for a concentrated fight against coronavirus," he added.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had on Saturday convened a meeting with Private Medical College Hospitals regarding Covid management and directed them to provide 50 per cent of the beds as promised.

In another tweet, Kumaraswamy said the notice being put out by local administrations in front of coronavirus patient's house is leading to new age social discrimination and untouchability.

To ensure that infected patients and his family leads a respectable life, such a practice has to be dropped immediately. "..... instead health workers should be sent to their houses to educate and instill confidence in them," the former CM added.

Bengaluru, Apr 14: The Karnataka government has decided to adopt “remote monitoring” of COVID-19 positive patients in order to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals - the frontline warriors against the pandemic.

Two doctors treating COVID-19 patients tested positive recently and in to check such instances in future, the Department of Medical Education is planning remote monitoring, which reduces doctors’ exposure to patients.

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar has consulted some of the doctors in the United States who are already using this technology to treat the COVID-19 positive cases. The minister is also having a meeting with representatives of some of the companies which provide such technology.

“I spoke to a team of epidemiologists and heads of certain departments at the United States to know about the remote monitoring technology they are using. I am also meeting the representatives of a few such companies which can provide us with the technology at our hospitals,”  Dr Sudhakar said.

Track state-wise coronavirus cases here

The minister added, “We have heard reports of many doctors and other health professionals succumbing to COVID-19. We don’t want to take risk.” Explaining the technology, Dr Sachidanand, Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences said that remote monitoring uses a software with which specialist doctors can monitor health condition of patients and treat them by not getting exposed directly.

The presence of all the doctors in COVID-19 is not necessary when patients are monitored remotely.