COVID-19 Karnataka wrap: Man under home quarantine commits suicide

The 60-year-old man had returned from Delhi by train on March 14. The district authorities have quarantined 20 of his family members

Ten people arrested for violating home quarantine:

Karnataka Police arrested ten people for violating home quarantine in Bengaluru. According to BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar, 10 persons were arrested and a case has been registered against them at Gurmitkal Police station. They are natives of Goplapur village in Gurmitkal taluk, Yadgir district.

Ola gives 500 cabs for Covid-19-related activities in Karnataka:

Since cabs are not plying on the roads due to the lockdown, the Ola Cabs has decided to give 500 OLA vehicles for Covid-19-related activities in Karnataka.

According to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan, these vehicles will be used by the government for commute by doctors and Covid 19-related activities. Ashwath Narayan tweeted, “Olacabs has agreed to give 500 OLA vehicles for #Covid_19 related activities in Karnataka. These vehicles will be used by the government for commute by doctors and Covid 19 related activities. Greatly appreciated move by @olacabs and its CEO @bhash !”

Olacabs has agreed to give 500 OLA vehicles for #Covid_19 related activities in Karnataka. These vehicles will be used by the government for commute by doctors and Covid 19 related activities. Greatly appreciated move by @olacabs and its CEO @bhash !#IndiaFightsCorona

— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) March 30, 2020

Special trains twice weekly to transport essential goods:

The Bengaluru division of the South Western Railway has decided to run special parcel trains to ensure the transportation of essential goods during the nationwide lockdown.

The trains will run with fixed timings like express trains from Yeshwantpur (Bengaluru) to Howrah (West Bengal) and vice-versa via MGR Chennai Central.

“This is the fastest mode to transport essential goods/perishables,” Bengaluru Divisional Railway Manager Ashok Kumar Verma said in a statement.

Man under home quarantine commits suicide:

A 46-year-old man who was under home quarantine was found dead in Hassan district on Sunday. According to police, the man had returned from Mumbai to his native village at Shravanabelagola in the district for the Ugadi festival. He was suffering from kidney ailments.

“The man did not show symptoms of coronavirus, he had asthma and other health problems. The reason for the suicide is yet to be ascertained,” Hassan police said.

Firm’s packaging material sent for testing

After a total of 10 positive cases of COVID-19 were identified from a pharmaceutical company in Mysore on Monday, the Karnataka government has sent swabs collected from the packaging material — in which items arrive in bulk at the company from China — and sent them for testing.

“We have collected swab samples from the packaging material collected from the pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud, Mysuru. These samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, as they had come from China,” Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department said.

He added, “We are not certain that this might have been the reason (for infecting the employees) but have done so to try to get a lead in our investigations.”

While the first case of a 35-year-old (Patient 52), also considered the first possible community transmission case in the state, was confirmed on March 26, five and four more other employees of the company were tested positive on Sunday and Monday respectively.

Initial investigation into the matter had indicated that the cases had no travel and contact history to any affected countries.

The total number of positive cases in Karnataka has risen to 88 with five new cases confirmed as at 2 pm on Monday (March 30). Karnataka now has 79 active cases excluding three deaths and six discharges.

“Out of 79, 78 COVID-19 positive patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable. One is on ventilator (P47),” a statement from the health department read. As many as 34 of these cases are in the capital city Bengaluru, while 12 are in Mysuru and 8 are in Chikkaballapura districts.

A total of 226 patients are at designated isolation hospitals situated across the state.

BBMP to appoint medical officers via walk-in interviews

All Urban Primary Healthcare Centres (UPHCs) in Bengaluru will soon get medical officers, in the light of the prevailing coronavirus situation in the state.

According to a government order issued on Monday, the government has directed Bengaluru’s local civic body BBMP to “appoint doctors against all existing vacancies in UPHCs through the procedure of walk-in-interviews and on a first-come-first-served basis.”

Ending of lockdown depends on how we follow: CM Yediyurappa

Appealing to citizens to strictly follow the curfew rules and to maintain social distancing to “checkmate the COVID-19 disease,” Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa Monday said ending lockdown would depend on how citizens follow the same.

“Ending of lockdown depends on strictness with which one follows the curfew and maintains the social distance. If one follows the curfew strictly, lockdown period will automatically end on April 14. Whether to end the lockdown or not is in your hands,” the CM stated.