Karnataka sees 1,267 new Covid-19 cases, Bengaluru 783

BENGALURU: Karnataka on Sunday reported 1,267 Covid-19 cases, crossing the 1,000-mark for the first time.
Bengaluru reported 783 of the cases, its highest in 24 hours. Sixteen deaths were reported and four of them were from the city. The state’s toll is
207. Karnataka has 13,190 positive cases and Bengaluru 3,314.
Pregnant patient made to wait for hours
While there were 2,692 active cases in Bengaluru on Sunday, no official was ready to confirm where patients had been accommodated.“No patients are at home. Our endeavour is to shift them within 6-8 hours,” BBMP chief Anil Kumar said. Chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar said: “Out of 2,992 beds available today in Bengaluru, 1451 beds are occupied and 1,541 beds are available. Shifting of patients is going on 24x7. Some patients have self-checked into private hospitals. We are updating this information.”
A six months’ pregnant Covid-19 patient was made to wait for a bed for hours on Sunday evening in front of the Covid Care Centre at Haj Bhavan.
“She was taken to Haj Bhavan from a quarantine centre, after testing positive. After coming her, she was told that there are no beds available. Why take a pregnant woman when there are no beds available?” her relatives lamented, as the woman’s wait lasted beyond 10 pm.
Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP joint commissioner, health looking after Covid Care Centres, said he would look into the matter. “There are many who have come without registration. A patient turning out positive has to register with the government helpline before coming to the Covid care centres. We have several challenges as more than 50 patients have come. There were some patients who are negative but are still seeking beds,” said Khan. Haj Bhavan with a capacity of 400 beds and is almost occupied.
Asked it the surge was an indication of community transmission, commissioner Anil Kumar said, “Yes, it is community spread to some extent.”
“It can be termed as a large outbreak amenable to containment,” said Dr Giridhara R Babu, epidemiologist and member of state’s Covid-19 expert committee.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner, health and family welfare department said that the government’s focus is to treat and save lives. “I request citizens to cooperate by using masks, social distancing and reporting to fever clinics or calling Apthamitra in case they have Influenza like illness. Our discipline will help us in saving lives,” he said.
Data provided by the government also lacked information on the mode of transmission, like whether the patient had travel history. “With the surge in the number of cases, contact tracing has become a challenge,” admitted an official.