Covid cases reach 135 in Karnataka, CM Siddaramaiah orders launch of dedicated helpline
Bengaluru: The number of Covid-19 cases in the state has reached 135, with 80 of them currently active, including 73 in Bengaluru. A total of 3,981 people have been tested so far.
Monday, CM Siddaramaiah held a high-level meeting with ministers and officials of the health and medical education departments to assess the state's preparedness in light of the uptick in the cases.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The review was also prompted by the rise in infections in neighbouring states, including 95 cases in Kerala, 66 in Tamil Nadu, and 56 in Maharashtra.
Officials informed the CM that while Karnataka has seen only one or two Covid-19 cases from Jan till recently, the fourth week of May saw a noticeable spike, including one serious case. SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) surveillance is already underway.
To support the public, Siddaramaiah ordered the launch of a dedicated Covid helpline.
"If the situation escalates, screening units must be reintroduced at airports to monitor arriving passengers. Health department personnel should remain on duty and avoid taking leave during this critical period," he said.
The CM directed officials to ensure that all necessary medical infrastructure, such as ventilators, oxygen supplies, essential medicines, and hospital beds, is fully in place across district hospitals.
"Although there is no cause for panic at this stage, the state must be prepared to handle any situation swiftly and effectively. Special attention must be paid to the health of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with pre-existing heart or lung conditions.
They should wear masks as a precaution," he added.
CM instructed the officials that pregnant women should not be transferred between hospitals during medical emergencies, and instead, every hospital must be equipped to care for them.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"Parents should avoid sending children with fever, cold, or flu-like symptoms to school, and schools should send such children home through their guardians," he directed the officials.
He assured that the state is already following the required protocol. As a precaution against possible mutations of the virus, he advised that vaccines be kept ready.
Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "Testing kits have already been distributed to hospitals across the state. We've procured 5,000 RT-PCR kits, and the rest will arrive by tomorrow. Since the number of Covid-infected individuals is currently low, mandatory testing is being conducted primarily for those with respiratory and heart conditions at VRDL testing centres. As a precautionary step, we've also instructed officials to stock up Remdesivir injections.
"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Over 50% of Covid cases in the 25-50 years age group
Ahmedabad: More than half of the total Covid-positive cases in Gujarat — over 700 identified so far — were recorded in the 25 to 50 years age group, or the 'working age group', state health department officials have said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now About 10% of the cases were among infants under one year of age, according to govt data. Officials also said that the number of senior citizens in recent cases is relatively very low. Health experts pointed out that three patients who died of Covid — all from Ahmedabad — were women aged 18, 20 and 47 years. "No definite pattern is emerging yet, as cases are under control and the administration is keeping a close watch on the trends. Medical facilities are equipped to tackle any rise in cases. So far, hospitalization rate is about 5%," said a senior health department official. According to Gujarat govt's bulletin, in the 24 hours ending 5pm on Thursday, Gustate added 167 cases, taking the tally of active cases to 615. Of these, 15 are hospitalised. No new deaths were reported. Gujarat ranked fifth in active cases, after 1,487 in Kerala, 562 in Delhi, 538 in West Bengal and 526 in Maharashtra. According to data, in seven cases of death recorded in India, patients had comorbidities such as seizure, pneumonia, respiratory failure, heart and kidney disease, hypertension, respiratory failure and cancer among others. Experts said that in the new cases, a large number of patients complain about myalgia (severe muscle pain), high-grade fever and diarrhoea, with rare cases of loss of smell and taste. Dr Maharshi Desai, an internal medicine specialist, said there has been a steady flow of patients with flu-like symptoms, and chances are high that some may have Covid. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Not all undergo testing, as treatment is primarily symptoms-based. Those with existing medical and immune-compromised conditions should be tested," he said. "Flu-like symptoms are most common. There is no need to panic, as reporting is very low at the community level. After vaccinations and herd immunity, chances of widespread disease are low. Even cough and cold bouts often last for a week," said Dr Vijay Maurya, former president of Ahmedabad Family Physicians' Association. Changing symptoms, first two days crucial Medical experts say that among the tell-tale signs of Covid infection are high-grade fever with severe body ache and headache for the first 24 to 48 hours. Treating physicians generally provide symptom-based medication. The majority of the patients indicated flu-like symptoms such as cough, cold, runny nose, sore throat, etc. Very few cases recorded respiratory distress — something which was seen in the first and second waves of the pandemic. Only a few patients admitted to the hospital have needed oxygen support, they said. Very young children are primarily with their mothers and are provided symptom-based treatment. Few cases turned critical, and the majority showed improvement after 24 to 48 hours, they added.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Covid symptoms in this round feel like Omicron during pandemic, say doctors
Kolkata: Around 30% of Covid patients in some Kolkata hospitals are showing gastrointestinal symptoms, which were prevalent during the spread of the Omicron variant in early 2022. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Many elderly patients admitted during the current cycle suffered a quick worsening of comorbidities, which may have been triggered by the virus, say doctors. There has also been a spurt in the number of relatively younger patients without any co-ailment. Even though severe cases remain low, several private hospitals have seen a spurt in admissions, leading to an extension of their isolation wards. While initial symptoms of the current surge were restricted to fever and cough, a sizeable section of patients has now started suffering from loose motion and mild diarrhoea — a prominent symptom of the third Covid wave that struck three-and-a-half years ago. "While these symptoms, too, remain mild, it now indicates the presence of the virus if detected in conjunction with fever and cough. Many had gastrointestinal symptoms during the Omicron wave, and it could be possible that since the current strain Jn.1 is believed to be an Omicron variant, symptoms are getting repeated," said CMRI Hospital pulmonology director Raja Dhar. The hospital has seven Covid patients admitted. While most are still elderly with comorbidities, a significant number suffered worsening of their ailments quickly, added Dhar. Charnock Hospital has admitted four Covid patients over the last three days. "They had a persistent fever and nasal symptoms that made them get tested. Their comorbidities are mild, and they are stable. There has been a major spurt in mild positive cases, which don't require admission. Patients now cut across all age groups and are not necessarily just the elderly with comorbidities," said Charnock Hospital pulmonologist Soumya Sengupta. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Manipal Hospital, Mukundapur now has two Covid patients. "While we received elderly patients till a few days ago, the virus is now affecting all age groups. A vast majority have mild symptoms that don't require admission, which has kept it manageable for us so far," said Manipal infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. Peerless Hospital has four Covid patients admitted, including a seven-month-old girl and her mother. It also has a 52-year-old man and a 72-year-old elderly patient, both of whom are stable. With two Covid patients currently admitted, BP Poddar Hospital has intensified safety measures. "Both presented with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and mild-grade fever. One is a 72-year-old female and the other a 65-year-old male," said Supriyo Chakraborty, group advisor of BP Poddar.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
No need to worry about Covid: DC
Udupi: The public should not panic about Covid-19. By taking necessary preventive measures, it is possible to stay away from it. Everyone should be cautious about this, said deputy commissioner K Vidya Kumari. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She was speaking while presiding over a meeting of various coordination committees of the health department. It may be recalled that a 65-year-old cancer patient from Belle village in Kaup taluk in the district passed away at a private hospital in Manipal on Tuesday. He was confirmed to be Covid-19 positive. The DC said Covid-19 cases are being reported across the state, and some cases have also been found in the district. "The public must strictly adhere to the safety measures prescribed by the govt. Elderly individuals, children, and pregnant women should take all necessary precautions against Covid-19 infection. If symptoms like fever, cough, cold, or breathing difficulties appear, a test should be conducted at the nearest health centre. If infected, one should seek appropriate treatment and ensure it does not spread to others," she said. 'Check mosquito breeding' Pre-monsoon rains have been widespread, and the monsoon has already started in the district. If rainwater accumulates anywhere, it can lead to an increase in mosquito breeding, raising the chances of spreading infectious diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. The public should be made aware of health education to prevent these, and local bodies and village panchayats should act to prevent the spread of diseases, the DC said, and requested people to observe "dry day" every Friday to clean water containers, vessels, and tanks on their premises. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The district conducted 7,650 water quality tests this year, and 983 were found contaminated. Of these, 908 open wells were chlorinated. "Water from wells not chlorinated should be filtered and boiled before use. At the onset of rains, well water might get contaminated. Water tests should be conducted periodically. Rainwater harvesting can help control this, and emphasis should be placed on it," the DC insisted.
