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Karwar, Feb 9: It has now come to the knowledge that a Karwar youth identified as Abhishek (26) who is on board a cruise ship that was turned away at a Japan port has reached out for help. The vessel was carrying coronavirus infected tourists onboard.

On Friday, Japan had reported 41 confirmed cases in the vessel which is currently docked at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Tokyo. Abhishek works as a steward in Diamond Princess ship owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The reports say that he is not infected by the virus. Around 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship. The total number of Indian nationals is not yet confirmed.

Abhishek who hails from Canara Bank colony in Karwar in Karnataka on Saturday morning through a video call appealed to the Indian government to evacuate him from the ship and deport to India, while the company, where he works, has said the Indian Embassy in Japan is in continuous contact with the concerned authorities in Japan

Abhishek in his call to parents said “I am scared of the ship as the people are quarantined and the ship is isolated. Please contact government officials to evacuate me from the ship and deport me to India.”

Father of Abhishek, Balakrishna B talking to ToI said the Karwar district administration and the company he is working with have asked not to panic. The deputy commissioner (DC) of Karwar said Japan is performing normal procedures to contain the spread of the deadly virus which killed over 600 people across the world.

Indian embassy in Japan in its statement mailed to the parent of Abhishek said “As you are aware that the Diamond Princess cruise ship is presently under quarantine for a period of 14 days from Feb 5 due to positively tested cases of coronavirus onboard. All passengers and crew members on board have to follow the health and safety regulations put in place by the Japanese ministry of health, labour and welfare”

The embassy official, Anil K Kalra further said the office is in constant touch with the Japanese authorities who have assured that all passengers and the crew members of the ship are being taken care of and kept under health monitoring and there is no cause to worry. The official said “we are trying to reach out to all Indian nationals onboard to know about their well being and assure all possible help at this difficult juncture.

DC of Karwar, Harish Kumar K urged the parents not to panic and his office has sent a letter to state the government that will be forwarded to the ministry of external affairs. Japan is doing standard operating procedures to contain the virus and as of now, Abhishek is secure and safe.

Bengaluru, Apr 28: Providing respite, Karnataka has decided to ‘conditionally’ allow economic activities to restart in green zones.

The green zones of Chamarajanagar, Koppal, Chikkamagaluru, Raichur, Chitradurga, Ramanagara, Hassan, Shivamogga, Haveri, Yadgir, Kolar, Davangere, Udupi and Kodagu will now see shops and industrial activities starting operations, according to an order issued by Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar on Tuesday.

Lockdown restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 will continue in Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Bidar and Dakshina Kannada. Here, only essential services and supplies will be allowed.

In green zones, all shops that include neighbourhood shops, standalone shops, shops in residential complexes within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities can open with 50 per cent manpower but with masks and social distancing mandatory.

Shops in residential and marketing complexes are allowed to open in areas located outside municipal limits, the order states.

Multi-brand and single-brand malls will remain shut across Karnataka.

Industries operating in rural areas of these green zones (except Ramanagara) have been allowed to start. Also, manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in special economic zones and export-oriented units, industrial estates and industrial townships will be allowed to operate.

“These establishments shall make arrangements for stay of workers within their premises as far as possible and/ or adjacent buildings. The transportation of workers to workplace shall be arranged by the employers in dedicated transport by ensuring social distancing (sic),” Bhaskar said in the order.

This order comes a day after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa participated in a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and with all deputy commissioners.

No decision on relaxing lockdown restrictions has been taken for Ballari, Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Gadag, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur, Uttara Kannada and Dharwad. “The decision regarding opening of shops and industries in taluks where there are no active COVID-19 cases will be taken by the concerned district in-charge minister,” Bhaskar said.

Bengaluru, Mar 26: In a second coronavirus related death in Karnataka, COVID-19 test results of a 75- year-old woman who had died on Wednesday has come out as positive, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said.

"I regret to inform that the COVID-19 test result has come out as positive for patient, who had succumbed to death yesterday. The govt stands committed to curb the spread of Corona Virus in the state. Please stay home, stay safe," Sudhakar tweeted on Thursday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu too said the lab reports regarding the death on Wednesday have come and it has come out as positive, and death was due to COVID-19.

The exact cause of her death would be known only after the final report comes, both Minister had said on Wednesday.

The woman from Gauribidanur in Chikkaballapura district, had returned from Mecca in Saudi Arabia recently.

Sharing details about the woman, Sriramulu in a tweet on Wednesday had said, she died at Bowring hospital here at 1 am, and was suffering from diabetes, chest pain and hip fracture.

The patient was undergoing treatment in isolation ward at a hospital in Gauribidanur, later for more treatment she was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru, from where she was shifted to Bowring hospital on Tuesday," he had said.

This is the second coronavirus fatality in the state.

Earlier this month, a 76-year old Kalaburagi man died "due to co-morbidity and was also tested positive for COVID- 19", becoming the country's first coronavirus death.