Mangalore under CCTV surveillance

Bengaluru, May 27: A yet incomplete state-wide survey has revealed that there are over 53.99 lakh households vulnerable to the infection in Karnataka. The survey is being conducted by the government to find COVID-19 vulnerable population particularly with comorbidities and cases like SARI and ILI.

The survey, which is 67.16% complete so far, finds 1.37 lakh households across Karnataka have people with comorbid conditions, excluding a further 13,341 households with symptoms of Influenza Like Illness (ILI), Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Covid-19.

Over 48 lakh households have senior citizens, who on account of their age are at highest risk of death from the disease.

Munish Moudgil, Director of the State COVID War Room, clarified that households could have multiple types of vulnerable people. According to the survey data (which is dated May 26), Kalaburagi and Bengaluru Urban have the highest cases of SARI, ILI with 1,902 households and 1,703 households respectively, although these numbers are likely to rise, as the survey is still incomplete in these districts. 

A BBMP source said that 68% of the survey has been completed in the city, but the data has not been logged yet. The number of SARI/ILI cases is next highest in Shivamogga with 1,217 households, Mysuru with 1,200 and Davangere with 1,178.

The government regards SARI and ILI as indicators of coronavirus and on April 17, had passed an order instructing healthcare workers to test people with these conditions for the coronavirus. Consequently, 51 COVID-19 cases were discovered by testing people with these symptoms.

Belagavi, meantime, has reported the highest incidents of households with comorbid conditions with 12,427 identified so far, followed by Mandya with 9,289, Kalaburagi with 8,311, Shivamogga with 8,140 and Bengaluru Urban with 7,562. Importantly, 3,45,443 vulnerable people have been identified in Bengaluru Urban within 28.26% of data logged in so far.

Bengaluru, Jun 20: Continuing with the easing of restrictions under 'Unlock 1.0', the Karnataka government on Saturday authorised local bodies to fix timing for opening of public parks other than those in the containment zones between 5 am to 9 pm.

It has also mandated adhering to all the national directives issued to contain the spread of COVID-19 and the guidelines issued by the state government in this connection.

Noting that the government has been relaxing conditions under unlock 1.0, Principal Secretary Revenue N Manjunath Prasad, who is also the member secretary of the state disaster management authority in an order said, local bodies have been asked to set the timing between 5 am to 9 pm to open all parks that come under them and the government.

It said this would be applicable to only those parks that come outside the containment zones. Earlier in May, while relaxing the lockdown norms, the government had set 7 am to 9 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm for the opening of parks.

Bengaluru, Feb 21: A young woman in Bengaluru was detained today for holding a placard saying ''Free Kashmir'' at a demonstration in the city to protest against the arrest of college student Amulya Leona who had raised pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA rally a day ago.

The arrested has been identified as Ardra Narayan, a 20-year-old student of an engineering college at Malleshwaram in the city's western suburb.

"Ardra Narayan is being questioned at the Silver Jubilee Park police station after she was whisked away from the spot and detained for holding the placard with ''Free Kashmir'' written on it," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said.

On a complaint by Sri Ram Sena activists, who were protesting against Amulya at the venue, the police booked a suo moto case against Ardra under sections 153A and 153B of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) for disturbing peace and harmony.

The placard also displayed ''Give Us Liberation'' and ''Freedom from India'', a Sri Ram Sena activist alleged.

The development comes a day after Amulya, 19, was arrested under section 124A of the IPC for sedition and jailed for 14 days for allegedly shouting "Pakistan Zindabad" at the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally at Freedom Park in the city centre on Thursday.

"We are trying to ascertain if there is any connection between Amuly and Ardra though she was alone at the spot holding the placard," Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) R. Chandrashekar told news agency.