HDK may undergo heart surgery again

Bengaluru, Jul 9: Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday said the private hospitals in the state have joined hands with the state government in the fight against COVID-19 and will provide 3,500 beds for patients.

"The meeting with managements of private hospitals has been successful and they have agreed to provide 3,500 beds for COVID-19 treatment," he said while addressing a press conference.

Pointing out that the step would help in providing more beds for COVID-19 patients, he added, "The state government is thankful to the private sector for joining hands with the government in this fight against the pandemic. Apart from beds, private hospitals will also run COVID-19 care centres in collaboration with hotels to treat asymptomatic and people with mild symptoms. Together with beds and COVID-19 care centres, private hospitals will add 6,000 to 7,000 beds in coming days," he said while addressing a press conference.

The minister while clarifying on JJM Medical College stipend issue said he had a number of meetings with the college as also the CM. "Held several meetings with the college management in this regard. I also discussed the same with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. He already asked the college management to release the stipend of Resident Doctors and PG Medicos immediately. Now it is up to the college management to act.

Urging the residents of the state to fight the pandemic with honesty, the minister said, "We should be honest about the virus and get tested ourselves without hiding it. Wearing masks, social distancing and following government guidelines are the weapon against COVID-19, which would help us to win this war."

Bengaluru, Apr 4: Sixteen coronavirus cases have

been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of the affected in the state to 144, the Health department said here on Saturday.

A 75-year old man, who is a resident of Bagalkote, who was confirmed positive on Friday and was being treated at a designated hospital in the district, expired last night.

"Till this evening, 144 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes four deaths and 11 discharges," the health department said in a bulletin.

Out of the 129 active cases, 126 patients (including 1 pregnant woman) are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable and three in Intensive Care Units (one on oxygen and two on Ventilators), it said.

Among the total of 144 cases detected and confirmed so far, eight are transit passengers of Kerala who landed in airports in Karnataka and are being treated in the state, it said.

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Sunday refuted reports of him contesting in the Rajya Sabha elections and added that he is more concerned about strengthening his party in Karnataka.

"I am not interested in going to Rajya Sabha. My concern is to build and strengthen the party in the region to the best of my ability. I had declared earlier that I will not contest elections anymore," Deve Gowda told ANI here.

"My party MP D Kupendra Reddy is there in the Rajya Sabha as of now and further decisions will be taken by the party. In March 2019, towards the end of the 16th Lok Sabha I had declared that I will not contest any more elections," Deve Gowda added.

Four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka are about to fall vacant in June this year as two of Congress, one of BJP and JD(S) MPs retire.