284 people under home isolation, observation across State for symptoms

Bengaluru: Seeking to allay fear among the citizens in the wake of Coronavirus scare, Karnataka Health Minister B. Sriramulu and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar have made an appeal to the people not to pay heed to rumours spreading on social media.

Addressing media in Bengaluru yesterday, Sriramulu assured people that the Government has taken adequate measures to ensure that the disease does not spread further. “Don’t lend your ears to rumours about the Coronavirus in the social media. Rely only on the authentic information,” he said. 

The Minister’s words came as Bengaluru reported the first case, after a techie from the city with a travel history to Dubai and interaction with Hong Kong-based people there, was admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad.

Minister under fire

Sriramulu, who is busy with his daughter’s extravagant seven-day wedding this week, convened an emergency meeting of top officials of the Health Department yesterday to discuss the next steps in Bengaluru. The Minister was under fire for focusing only on his daughter’s wedding and ignoring the impending danger of the spread of the deadly virus. 

As panic gripped the city, Sriramulu said the apartment where the software engineer was staying has been sanitised. Besides,  his 25 colleagues have been identified. One of them has been admitted to the hospital as a precautionary measure and his blood sample has been sent for lab test.

40,207 people screened 

“So far 40,207 people have been screened at Kempegowda International Airport. 251 blood tests have been done, of which 238 were found negative, while the rest of the reports are yet to come,” Sriramulu said. The Health Department said three people have been admitted to the isolation ward at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases.

“We have started to track all those who have come in contact with the 24-year-old engineer who was confirmed a COVID-19 carrier in Hyderabad. A medical team is monitoring the health condition of all those who came in contact with the coronavirus patient. It has come to our knowledge that the coronavirus-hit person in Hyderabad had gone from Bengaluru. Therefore, all the members in the house where he had stayed here have been identified and are under watch,” he said.

According to Telangana State Health Minister Etela Rajendra, the software engineer returned to Bengaluru on Feb. 20 and attended work for a couple of days, before leaving for Hyderabad on Feb. 22. He took treatment for cough and cold form a private hospital but shifted to the government-run Gandhi Hospital, where he tested positive for Coronavirus. 

1,680 isolation wards 

Sriramulu said that the Government is fully equipped to handle suspected cases and that he is personally monitoring the situation, despite being very busy with his daughter’s wedding. “We have formed 1,680 isolation wards in private hospitals. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister of the situation.”

Five Karnataka districts bordering Kerala — Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru — continue to be under surveillance after three positive cases were reported in Kerala. Currently, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Services department is observing 284 people under home isolation across the State for coronavirus symptoms.

School students, staff with cold, fever, to be given leave

The Karnataka Government has directed School authorities to grant leave to students and staff suffering from cold or fever in the light of renewed coronavirus (COVID -19) fears.

“If any student, teacher of staff is suffering from respiratory infections, they should be granted leave. They should be allowed to come back to School only after confirming from the doctor that they are cured. In case of a student or staff staying at hostels develop any symptoms, they should be kept in a separate room,” said the Government circular.