Fisherman's murder: Protest staged with dead body at Ullal police station

Bengaluru, Apr 17: The Karnataka government has announced the purchase of an additional two lakh rapid test kits for COVID-19 detection at a task force meeting on Thursday.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other senior officials were present at the task force meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwathnarayan.

The Chinese government has agreed to supply rapid test kits to an officially listed company, which will increase the number of tests once it arrives, Ashwathnarayan said.

Moreover, 250 kiosks will be set up in the state to collect saliva samples of a person with COVID-19 symptoms. Such kiosks will be launched one-by-one in taluks of the state.

Ashwathnarayan explained that this would increase the sample collection process and prevent the spread of disease.

Ashwathnarayan said the purchase of the required 25,000 RT-PCR kits was also approved.
He stated that COVID-19 patients should be treated at government-appointed hospitals. A separate coronavirus helpline will be made operational to address the queries of people, Ashwathnarayan said.

During Ramadan, it has been decided not to allow mass prayers, he said. And added that tracing of cases related to the Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi has been completed in the state.

Mangaluru, Apr 3: The Dakshina Kannada district administration’s decision to ban use of private vehicles, excluding permitted categories, from Friday for effective implementation of lockdown, began showing results since morning itself.

Mangaluru City Traffic Police and Dakshina Kannada district police erected several pickets at vantage places on arterial roads to check those moving without a valid reason. Several two-wheelers were seized during the checking while a few car drivers were let off with a strict warning.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic), M Manjunatha Shetty, who was supervising a picket at Hampankatta, said that movement of private vehicles has drastically reduced in the city.

Mangaluru, May 8: Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairman of Karnataka NRI Forum, today called on Karnataka chief secretary Vijaya Bhaskar and urged him to exert pressure on the Centre through chief minister to expedite evacuation of Kannadigas stuck in Saudi Arabia amidst covid-19 lockdown. 

She also conveyed the message from labourers in Gulf countries requesting for free quarantine facility upon their arrival. Positively responding to the demand, Mr Bhaskar said that free quarantine facility will be arranged at BSF base in Bengaluru apart from paid quarantine facility in different hotels and guest houses.

Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigest.com that she also spoke to the officials in-charge of Gulf in the Ministry of External Affairs  and requested them to take necessary steps to add more special flights from Gulf countries to Karnataka. 

The officials have promised to consider operating flight from Riyadh to Mangaluru via Dammam in the second wave of evacuation, the schedule of which is expected to be announced in a few days, she said.