COVID-19: 15 new cases reported in Karnataka, total 247

Team Udayavani, Apr 13, 2020, 9:23 PM IST

Bengaluru: Fifteen new positive cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of affected in the state to 247 on Monday as the government ruled out any community transmission.

The government also said there was an increase in the number of people being cured of the coronavirus infection in recent days with the total so far-reaching 60.

Voicing concern that the COVID-19 situation has thrown the state into a deep financial trouble, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said there was a need to to find ways to overcome the crisis and announced certain measures aimed at resource mobilisation.

As of 5 PM on April 13, cumulatively 247 COVID-19 positive cases had been confirmed in the state and it included six deaths and 60 discharges, a deparment bulletin said.

The active COVID-19 cases stood at 181 with 177 patients, including one pregnant woman, in isolation wards at designated hospitals and stable while four others in the intensive care units.

“In the last five days our growth rate of cases is 6.42 per cent, we stand at 11th place (in the country in number of cases),” Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar said during a media briefing.

Pointing out that the number of discharges after treatment has seen a steady increase in the last few days, he said, “In the last four days itself 30 people have been discharged after recovery. I’m happy to see this.”

On the source of infection in a few cases not being known yet, he said, efforts were on to find it out and ruled out any possibility of community infection in the state.”We have not reached that stage.”

He said, according to statistics that the government has, Karnataka’s rate of positive cases is 2.5 per cent, while Kerala is 2.63 per cent, Rajasthan is 2.82 per cent, Maharashtra is 5.53 per cent, Delhi is 9.13 per cent and Tamil Nadu is 11.52 per cent.

Among the 15 new cases in the state, thirteen are contacts of patients already tested positive, while one from Dodabballapura in Bengaluru Rural is with a travel history to Delhi, the other from Bengaluru city has Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

Among the 13 contact cases tested positive four are from Hubballi in Dharwad district, three each from Malavalli in Mandya district and Raibag in Belagavi district, two each from Bidar, and one from Mudhol in Bagalkote district.

Contact tracing had been initiated and was in progress for all the cases, the department said.

Nine out of total 247 cases detected and confirmed in Karnataka so far are transit passengers of Kerala being treated in the state.

Most number of infections have been reported in Bengaluru with 77, followed by Mysuru (48) and Belagavi (17).

Among the dead, two are from Kalaburagi and one each from Bengaluru, Bagalkote, Gadag and Tumakuru.

A total of 10,017 samples were collected for testing so far, out of which 766 were collected on Monday alone.

So far 9,572 samples have reported as negative and out of them 741 reported negative on Monday.

Suresh Kumar said the rapid testing kits supposeed to arrive in Karnataka from China have been delayed.

“It was expected today, but due to change of some regulations by the Chinese government regarding exports, it is delayed. We may get in a week’s time.”

Responding to a question on Tablighi Jamaat cases, Kumar said, so far 1,330 samples have been tested, out of this 40 were positive, 1,252 negative.

Asked whether the government was planning to mark the state into red, orange and green zones to enforce lockdown based on the gravity of the situation during the next two weeks, he said, “we are working at it, we will let you know.”

Yediyurappa, who held a meeting here on resource mobilisation, said the government was awaiting guidelines from the Centre regarding the implementation of lockdown during the next two weeks, and noted that discussions were on regarding relaxations on the sale of liquor and the decision will be taken after April 14.

The decisions taken at the meeting included speeding up the disposal of cases related to regularisation of unauthorised constructions which are pending before courts, auctioning more than 12,000 corner sites lying idle in Bengaluru and also elsewhere in the state.

The Chief Minister also launched CORONA Helpdesk in partnership with WhatsApp, for latest updates and facts on COVID-19.

Public are requested to get benefited by texting Hi to 8750971717 & for facebook users : KarnatakaVarthe.Official.

Commissioner of BBMP (Bengaluru civic body) has ordered all private health care facilities not to deny essential and critical emergency Services to any patients citing ongoing situation of COVID-19.

All such patients must be promptly attended and provided with necessary consultation and treatment, it said.

The state government also announced formation of a six- member committee of experts to analyse the coronavirus related data in the state and advise government on the interventions to be initiated.