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Mangaluru, Mar 26: The district Wenlock hospital in

the city will be turned into a dedicated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Dakshina Kannada district-in- charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said on Thursday.

Addressing reporters here, he said the 250-bed super speciality wing at Wenlock would be converted to a dedicated hospital to treat coronavirus patients in view of the prevailing situation.

The 20-bed Ayush block will be used for the treatment of suspected cases.

The patients currently being treated for various other ailments at the hospital will be shifted to private hospitals within three days.

The expenses for their treatment will be borne by the government, he said.

The 705 beds available at the hospital wards will be used for coronavirus cases in a phased manner.

The patients visiting the outpatient ward will be directed to go to nearby medical colleges for treatment, he said.

A total of 140 children being treated at the regional advanced paediatric care centre at the hospital will be shifted to nearby medical college hospitals.

The centre will also be used for covid-19 treatment.

Poojary said at present five COVID-19 patients and 140 suspected cases are being treated at the Wenlock hospital.

Bengaluru, May 21: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today slammed Law Minister JC Madhuswamy for yelling at a woman farmer in Kolar, an incident that attracted widespread criticism. 

The incident happened on Wednesday when Madhuswamy, who is also the minor irrigation minister, was inspecting the Koramangala-Challaghatta (KC) Valley project, under which Bengaluru’s sewage is treated and pumped into lakes in Kolar. 

During his visit, farmer Nalini Gowda questioned Madhuswamy on the encroachment of the 1,022-acre S Agrahara lake. At one point, Madhuswamy lost his cool and yelled, “Aye! Shut your mouth, rascal,” and asked the police to take her away. Before this, Madhuswamy told her, “Make a request. I’m a very bad man. You can only air your grievance. Don’t command us.” 

A video of this exchange was aired by news channels. 

“What (Madhuswamy) said is not right. I have warned him. None can forgive such an explicit manner of talking with a woman. That, too, behaving like that being a minister doesn’t bode well. I will talk to that woman also and I’ll ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Yediyurappa told reporters.

The incident has come as a shot in the arm to the Opposition Congress, which is already attacking the Yediyurappa administration on the COVID-19 crisis. Condemning Madhuswamy’s behaviour, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah demanded an apology and asked Yediyurappa to sack him from the Cabinet. 

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar said it was unbecoming of Madhuswamy to behave like that being a senior minister. “People will ask us questions and express their problems, naturally. What’s important is how we handle ourselves. Be it a woman or anyone, they come to us because we’re into public service. Calling them ‘rascal’ and things is not right. Maybe there was some irritation, but I agree with (Siddaramaiah) that he should be dropped from the Cabinet,” he said.

On his part, Madhuswamy said he felt intimidated. “If I have hurt the feelings of any woman, I will certainly apologise,” he said. “But citizens should realise, we go to their villages to ask about their problems. If they start abusing us publicly, how can we work? My secretary and I heard her for five minutes and then told her that we know our responsibility. We asked her to close the issue. She didn’t stop and I got tempted (sic),” the minister said.

Mangaluru, Mar 27: A youth from Dakshina Kannada district, who had returned from United Arab Emirates earlier this month has tested positive for the deadly Covid-19 caused by the novel coronavirus. With this the total of Covid-19 in the district has mounted to seven. 

The fresh Covid-19 patient is a 21-year-old youth hailing from Karaya in Belthangady taluk. 

He had left Dubai on March 21 and land at Bengaluru Airport. Then he reached Belthangady through a KSRTC bus the very next morning. 

As he was suffering from fever and cough, he was admitted to Puttur government hospital on March 24. Same day his throat swab sample was sent for coronavirus testing. Today it was declared positive. 

His condition is said to be stable. However, his family members and those who were in touch with him are under observation.