JD(S) is ready for alliance with BJP in Karnataka, says R Ashok

Bengaluru, Jul 17: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday held a meeting with the Ministers-in-charge of eight zones to take stock of the COVID-19 situation and its management in Bengaluru.

Yediyurappa suggested that it should be ensured that both COVID-19 and other patients get timely treatment. He advised home quarantine for asymptomatic patients and hospitals and COVID Care Centers would provide treatment for those who are severely symptomatic.

He said, Rapid Antigen Testing should be carried out for those who died in the hospital, for immediate delivery of the corpse for funeral arrangements. He also said to conduct Rapid Antigen Test for those who have died at home and take action for the funeral of the dead.

The chief minister said, lockdown is not a solution to COVID-19 control, he made it clear that the government has no plans to continue with the lockdown in Bengaluru.

"To fill the shortage of doctors, the process of filling vacancies is ongoing," he said.

"Volunteers are identified and ambulances are assigned to each ward.  Strict action should be taken if private hospitals do not provide beds to patients," the Chief Minister said.

The chief minister said volunteers and nodal officers would be appointed to provide information on the enrollment and availability of beds to COVID-19 infected persons in private hospitals.

"Welfare pavilions and lodges have been identified in each ward, suggesting the use of quarters to quarantine those who do not have separate rooms," the Chief Minister said.

He said, allocate bed within two hours of the result of the test and the ambulance must take action to take the person to the hospital. The Chief Minister suggested that the system be decentralised, zoned, and monitored.

Bengaluru, Jun 29: Bengaluru continued to see a sharp spike in covid- 19 cases as 738 more people tested positive on Monday that took the city's tally to 4052 of which 3427 is active.

The surge in Bengaluru pushed up the number of positive cases to 1105 across Karnataka. The total number of cases in Karnataka now stands at 14,295 of which 6382 are active.

The death toll stood at 230 as 19 more people died in the 24 hours till 5 pm on Monday.

Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, has seen a sharp rise in cases over the last two weeks indicating the possibility of community transmission and further rise in cases.

Estimates by government authorities project that Karnataka will have around 25,000 cases by mid-August.

R.Ashok, the revenue minister incharge of covid- 19 in Bengaluru on Monday told doctors that they would have to dedicate another six months to contain the virus indicating that authorities were expecting the case count to rise in subsequent days and months.

The city reported over 3,200 cases since 19 June as against 844 cases between 8 March and 18 June.

There are around 500 containment zones in Bengaluru that is likely to have an impact of business and activities in the state's growth capital and its efforts to revive the economy.

The state government on Monday held meetings with private hospitals to increase the number of beds available for treatment of covid- 19.

The number of people in intensive careunits (ICU) jumped to 268.

Bengaluru, May 29: Karnataka reported 248 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, and with that, the state tally surged to 2,781. 

A 50-year-old woman, resident of Chikkaballapura district, succumbed to the infection on Friday. She was admitted to a private hospital on May 24 following acute kidney injury and pneumonia. As her condition deterorted, she was shifted to a designated hospital in Bengaluru Urban on May 28, where she tested COVID-19 positive.

Out of the 248 cases, only 16 persons have contracted the virus inside the state. The remaining are the people who have returned from Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Ireland.

The maximum number of people, who tested positive for COVID-19, have returned from Maharashtra. Most of these people are residents of Udupi, Kalaburagi, Yadagiri and Raichuru.

Besides, five people have a travel history to Delhi, while one person each has tested positive on returning from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Ireland.

Fifteen people have tested positive within the state and have been infected by persons who had previously tested positive or have a history of Influenza-like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness.

Out of all the cases, 10 have been reported in Bengaluru Urban while one has come up in Bengaluru Rural.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Karnataka government asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to reduce the number of flights coming in the state from the five worst-hit states -- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

"Karnataka has appealed to the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to lessen the air traffic to the state, with the sacred intention that there may not be adequate quarantine facilities if there is a huge turnout in a short span of time," state Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy explained.