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Mangaluru, May 15: Dakshina Kannada saw a record spike in the number of fresh COVID-19 cases today, which triggered panic among the people of the district, which is currently under orange zone.   

According to the mid-day bulletin of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, as many as 16 people from Dakshina Kannada tested positive for the covid-19. 

Among them 15 are the Gulf returnees who were brought by an Air India Express special flight from Dubai to Mangaluru International Airport on May 12. 

As many as 179 repatriates had landed at Mangaluru Airport. Among them 125 are quarantined in Dakshina Kannada, 49 in Udupi and five in Uttara Kannada districts.  

Meanwhile, a 68-year-old woman from Surathkal area in Mangaluru, who is suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) was also tested covid-19 positive.

This is the highest number of cases reported in a single day since first case registered in the district on March 22 when Dubai-bound youth from Bhatkal was tested positive. 

With this the total number of covid-19 cases in the district mounted to 50 including five deaths. Many of them have returned home after recovery.

3 members of a family test positive

According to Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, three members of a same family are among 15 gulf returnees who are tested positive.  They are a 45-year-old man, his 33-year-old wife and their 6-year-old child. 

Six among those who tested positive today are above 60 years of age, said the deputy commissioner. 
 

Mangaluru, June 22: A chartered flight from Dammam with more than 170 stranded Saudi Kannadiga passengers landed at Mangaluru International Airport at 8.53 pm. 

The flight was chartered by Saudi Kannadigas Humanity Forum (SKHF), an unregistered NGO, which was formed recently to help the Kannadigas stranded in Saudi Arabia due to covid-19 lockdown under the leadership of Zakariya Jokatte, president of Jubail unit of Bearys Chamber of Commerce and Industry and KS Sheikh Karnire, Director of Expertise Contracting Co. Ltd, Saudi Arabia.

There were 165 adults and 8 infants on board the IndiGo flight. All the passengers were screened at the airport. They will be dispatched to quarantine centres after completing formalities. 

SKHF had launched an online portal to assist those who were in need of emergency repatriation such as elderly people, those who lost their jobs, pregnant women and those who are in need of emergency medical treatment back home in India. 

SKHF coordinated with the authorities concerned to carry out all the formalities and legal procedures in Saudi Arabia. SKHF members were present at the Dammam Airport to help the passengers during the departure. 

Mr Jokatte and Mr Sheikh have thanked U T Khader, Mangaluru MLA and Dr Arathi Krishna, former deputy chairperson of NRI forum of government of Karnataka, for their help in chartering the flight.

New Delhi, Feb 3: BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde's swipe at Mahatma Gandhi has irked the top party leadership and he may be forced to apologise, party sources said on Monday.

A senior BJP leader said the Karnataka leader's comments were "condemnable" and the party leadership is upset with him.

"The party has conveyed its displeasure to him and asked him to take remedial measure. Any insult to Mahatma Gandhi is unacceptable," he said.

Hegde, a former Union minister, reportedly claimed at an event in Bangaluru that the entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British, and the independence movement led by Gandhi was a "drama".

He also wondered why the Father of the Nation was called 'Mahatma' (a great soul).

The party leader said the Lok Sabha MP is a "disciplined" member of the party and will do what he has been asked to.

Hegde, known for hardline Hindutva leanings, has a history of making controversial remarks.