BENGALURU: Karnataka on Sunday witnessed a further rise in the number of Coronavirus cases with six more testing positive, taking the total number to 26. While three are from Bengaluru, the others are from Dharwad, Chikkaballapaur (mother of Patient 19) and Uttara Kannada districts. In Bengaluru, the police have formed teams to trace 42,000 travellers who flew into the city from abroad between March 8 and 19, and to verify whether they are under home quarantine.
A 35-year-old man from Dharwad (Patient 21) who had travelled from Dubai via Goa tested positive on Sunday. Four of his primary contacts have been traced and they will also be tested. According to sources, he travelled from Australia via Dubai and Goa on March 12. After he developed cold and cough, he got admitted to a private hospital in Dharwad. As the symptoms were similar to Coronavirus, the doctors referred him to KIMS hospital in Hubballi on March 18. The doctors at KIMS had sent his throat swabs to The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratorie (VDRL) in Shivamogga and the report came back positive on Sunday morning. The man is from Hosayellapur area in Dharwad and had spent almost six days there.
Soon after he tested positive, the district administration has banned entry and exit around a 3-km radius of at Hosayellapur and checkposts have been set up at Nuggikeri, Kelageri and University of Agricultural Sciences. In Hubballi, it is said he had come in contact with many people. Therefore, the hospital authorities have started contact tracing in the premises on Sunday.
A 64-year-old woman, the mother of Patient 19, has become Patient 22 after she tested positive on Saturday. She and her son had travelled from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to Gowribidanur in Chikkaballapur district on March 14 from Hyderabad to Hindupura by train and from there, they reached Gowribidanur on March 15 by bus. Four of her primary contacts have been identified.
Chikballapur Deputy Commissioner R Latha said three people — the woman, her son and a cousin — had gone to Mecca. The cousin has been isolated and her condition is stable. Sources said the three had undertaken a package tour organised by a Hindupur-based firm. After landing at Hyderabad airport, they travelled with the tour party up to Hindupur. A relative picked them up from there and brought them to Gouribidanur by car. “The Patient 19 is stable and is responding well to treatment. We are also tracking the people who have travelled with him. He had isolated himself at home and was not in contact with any of the family members,” they said.
A 36-year-old female from Bengaluru (Patient 23) had travelled from Switzerland and France and returned on March 9. A 27-year-old man (Patient 24), had travelled to Germany on March 8 and returned on March 14. A 51-year-old man from Bengaluru (Patient 25) had travelled to London and returned on March 13. Ten of his primary and secondary contacts have been traced. All three are being treated at designated isolation hospitals.
Fourteen primary contacts of Patient 24 have been traced while there are 237 secondary contacts. “ The contact tracing varies on the person to person and how responsible they are. Nowadays, people are aware, and as soon as they return from abroad, they isolate themselves. But this person might have not done that,” said Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department.
Patient 26 is a 22-year-old male who arrived by Spicejet flight SG60 (seat No. 21 C) from Dubai at 5.40 pm on March 19. The Bhatkal resident was isolated at Mangaluru and directly taken to Wenlock hospital the same day.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh told reporters that the patient was among the 165 passengers who travelled from Dubai. The co-passengers and crew have been put under house quarantine and their health is closely monitored. The DC said people need not panic as the patient was directly shifted to the hospital from the airport and he did not come in contact with any other persons apart from those on his flight.
Meanwhile, the last international flight arrived in Mangaluru from Dubai at 6.30 am on Sunday with 109 passengers on board. All were screened and none had symptoms. But they have been asked to be under home quarantine for 14 days. On reports that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kasargod had donated blood in Mangaluru, the DC said they are yet to receive the official flow chart from her Kasargod counterpart and until then, nothing can be confirmed.Patient 5, a Google techie who had returned from Greece, has been discharged on Friday. He had been isolated at the Jayanagar General Hospital.