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With coronavirus cases rising, Karnataka to upgrade three more labs

News Network
March 10, 2020

Bengaluru, Mar 10: With concerns growing by the day, the Karnataka government is readying three more labs to test throat swab samples.

Currently, only two labs in Bengaluru — National Institute of Virology and Virus Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (VRDL) lab attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute — are categorised biosafety level 2+, a requirement for coronavirus tests.

Now, the government is working on upgrading three more labs, one each in the government medical colleges at Hassan, Mysuru and Shivamogga. “The labs will be ready within one week,” the authorities said.

Currently, the labs are testing only throat swab samples of suspected patients and taking 24 hours to give the results. “A patient’s blood sample will be collected only if he or she tests positive for covid-19 infection in the first throat swab sample.

While earlier the state would send all samples of suspected coronavirus cases to NIV, Pune, the two labs were upgraded to biosafety level 2+ in mid-February.

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News Network
May 20,2020

Mangaluru, May 20: The Third Vande Bharat Mission flight carrying 63 repatriates from Muscat landed at Mangaluru International Airport at 8.35 pm on Wednesday. It was piloted by Mangalurean captain Michael Saldanha.

More than half of the passengers from Muscat alighted in Bengaluru where the flight landed first. Remaining 63 passengers came to Mangaluru. 

After landing, all the passengers were given health kits, food and mobile SIMs, and arrangements were made to change their currency at the airport. 

A health department team screened each passenger, after which emigration formalities were completed. Their throat swab samples will be tested for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Union fertiliser minister D V Sadananda Gowda tweeted on Wednesday that the next Vande Bharat Mission flight is scheduled on Friday from Doha to Mangaluru. The flight will land at Mangaluru at 9.55 pm. 

The third repatriation flight from Dubai to Mangaluru is scheduled on Saturday. It will first land at Bengaluru and later fly to Mangaluru. However, there are no flights from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to Mangaluru.

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News Network
March 3,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 3: Minister of Medical Education K Sudhakar on Tuesday said that there is no need to panic as appropriate measures have been taken by the state government to tackle a possible Coronavirus outbreak.

"I request the media not to spread panic and support the government in dealing with any possible Coronavirus outbreak. With the help of the Centre we have taken all required precautionary measures to deal with any situation," Sudhakar told reporters.

Talking about the first confirmed case in Telangana, who had stopped over in Bengaluru, the Minister said, "His flatmates and 23 people who travelled with him from Karnataka are being screened. Both the state (Karnataka and Telangana) government are taking care of them."

"Out of the 295 samples collected so far, 240 tested samples tested negative. We are awaiting more results as of now. There are two labs. One in RGICS and another in Bangaluru Medical College where tests are being carried out," he said.

On Monday, the first confirmed case of a Novel Coronavirus in Telangana was reported from Hyderabad when a 24-year-old man, who had come in contact with some Hong Kong citizens, while he was in Dubai on February 17, tested positive for the virus.

After arriving in Bengaluru on February 20 and travelled to Hyderabad by bus on February 22.

Meanwhile, Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Sunday said that the state government is on a high alert since the confirmation of one Coronavirus positive case here.

The Health Department has also issued an advisory to all educational institutes.

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News Network
July 29,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 29: A day after Congress staged a nationwide 'Save Democracy' protest, Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy slammed Congress for "dividing" the political parties and "buying MLAs" and questioned their "democratic behaviour" to lure Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs who supported them.

Kumaraswamy, in a media statement, said, "Is it a democratic behaviour to lure MLAs of other parties through political shenanigans and later merging with them?"

"Congress is an expert in dividing political parties and purchase of MLAs," said Kumaraswamy adding, "If you are dividing the like-minded party MLAs through deceit, who would support you?"

He alleged that the term "horse trade" in politics came to be used because of Congress.

Congress had tied to divide the Janata Dal (Secular) in 2004. To this, he added, "To avoid the party being hijacked by the Congress, I had to oust the Congress-JD(S) coalition government through a political coup."

Kumaraswamy further accused, "Haven't the Congress who is making a big noise about the purchase of MLAs divided the JD(S) in the past? Is it not a fact that for the sake of one Rajya Sabha seat, the Congress government in Karnataka purchased eight JD(S) MLAs?"

Both -- Congress and BJP -- are "criminals" in purchase matter, he added.

Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil after simmering differences between Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress.

The Congress has accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

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