BENGALURU, MADIKERI: A 35-year-old man from Kodagu district tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the count to 15 in the state. He had returned from Dubai to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 15 and travelled to Kodagu by bus the same day.
The individual was kept under quarantine at home and was initially asymptomatic. He wad admitted to the designated isolation hospital at Kodagu on March 17 and his samples were collected the same day. His contact tracing is currently underway, according to the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
The Kodagu district administration has issued an advisory to all passengers who travelled with the man on the Dubai-Bengaluru flight.
“All passengers who were on board the Indigo flight (No. 6E96) on March 15, which reached Bengaluru at 4.15 pm, and also those who travelled in the KSRTC Rajahamsa Bus (No KA 19 F 3170), which started from the Kengeri Satellite Bus Station, Bengaluru at 11.33 pm to Madikeri (via Virajpet and Murnad) should immediately report to the nearest Government Hospital,” the advisory said.
A total of 33 passengers had travelled in the bus and did not have reserved tickets, making it difficult for the Health Department to trace them. It has now requested the passengers to contact the officials on 080-46848600 or 080-66692000.
In Udupi district, a 32-year-old man from Navunda in Kundapur taluk escaped from the Kundapur taluk government hospital on Thursday. After hospital Chief Medical Officer Robert Rebello lodged a complaint with the police, the man was traced and he has been directed to remain under home quarantine till further order, said Deputy Commissioner G Jagadish.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 (3) CrPC have been imposed Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Kalaburagi and districts and commercial establishments have been asked to remain shut till March 31.
Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar on Thursday ordered suspension of various non-essential government services in the district. Services at the Atalji Janasnehi Kendra and Aadhaar centres in the district, issuance of licences at RTOs and registration of properties at sub-registrar’s offices and services in local bodies are withdrawn until further orders.
Of the 12 suspected coronavirus cases in Gadag district, 10 have tested negative and the reports of two others are awaited. As many as 81 people, who had returned from abroad as well as other parts of the state and country, have been kept under home quarantine, health officials said.
State Guarding Against The Virus
■ 24/7 checkposts being set up in Koppal district to check inter-district movement of people after the first suspect case was reported from Gangavati taluk.
■ Bus services from Vijayapura to Maharashtra completely suspended till March 31. The administration also suspended private bus operations.
■ South Western Railways has cancelled trains connecting Vijayapura to Bengaluru and Mangaluru; some train services to Maharashtra also stopped.