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Bengaluru, jul 6: With coronavirus cases surging and hospitals saturated with patients, the Karnataka government is setting up intensive care units (ICUs) at COVID Care Centres (CCC) in the state for severe cases needing oxygen, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Sunday.

Covid Care Centres are usually meant for patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

"Initially, 10 ICUs will be set up at every CCC in Bengaluru and in other cities and towns across the state subsequently," Narayan said in a statement in Bengaluru.

The state government has set up CCCs at the GKVK campus, the Haj Bhavan and the Art of Living Foundation campus in the city so far. The government has also set up a more than 10,000 bed CCC facility in BIEC, on Tumkur road, on the outskirts of the city.

"About 100 ICUs will be set up soon at the new CCCs opened at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Ayurveda College, and Koramangala Indoor Stadium," said Narayan.

The sprawling BEIC in the city's northwest will soon have 10,100 beds for treating Covid patients and asymptomatic cases from state-run hospitals.

The state government has also relieved all Health Department employees from administrative and non-medical duties to depute them at the CCCs.

On complaints about the poor quality of food served to Covid patients and the medical staff, Narayan warned the vendors of cancelling their contracts if they did not supply good quality food as per the guidelines.

The minister also directed the Health Department to ensure adequate supply of drugs and medical equipment to all CCCs and state-run hospitals for treating Covid patients.

With a record 1,925 new cases reported on Sunday, the state's tally touched 23,474, including 13,251 active after 9,847 were discharged (including 603 on Sunday), while 372 succumbed to the infection since March 9, with 37 more deaths on Sunday.

Of the total cases across the state, Bengaluru accounted for 1,235, taking its tally to 9,580, including 8,167 while 145 died so far.

Bengaluru, Mar 31: Bengaluru Central Crime Branch on Tuesday seized as many as 1,000 fake N95 masks amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

However, the police are yet to make arrests in the case.

Investigation in the case is underway and more details in this regard are awaited.

Recently, Noida Sub-Divisional Magistrate with a team from the Health department busted a fake sanitiser and mask factory.

Notably, the Central government recently had brought masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential Commodities Act up to June 30 as the novel coronavirus pandemic led to shortages and black marketing of these items.

Any person found guilty under the Act may be punished with imprisonment up to seven years or fine or both and can be detained for a maximum of six months.

Newsroom, Jul 15: At least three students have committed suicide in different parts of Karnataka after failing in II PUC examinations, the results of which were announced yesterday. 

Bhumika, an 18-year-old girl hailing from Mallipattene near Arakalagud town in Hassan district killed herself within hours after the announcement of results. 

Depressed over her failure in the examination, she consumed poison, the police sources said. 

In a separate incident, 18-year-old Chitra, who failed the II PUC examinations, committed suicide at her native Chikkamarasa village in Shivamogga district. 

She was studying in Government PU College in Kumsi and after knowing about her result in the final PU exam, she hanged herself to death at her house.

Similarly, an 18-year-old boy from Harihar taluk in Davanagere district committed suicide in his house after the announcement of the PUC results.