COVID-19 | Cases go up to 10 in Karnataka

The tenth patient is a 60 year old male who is tested positive had come in contact of with the Kalaburgi patient who passed away on March 10.

Bengaluru: A health official takes a thermal screening test of the passengers at Bengaluru City Railway Station in the wake of coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic, in Bengaluru, Monday, March 16, 2020. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI16-03-2020_000173B)

Three more person in the State have tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number of infected cases to 10. Of the new cases, two are from Bengaluru and one is from Kalaburagi.

One is a 32-year-old male, who returned from U.S. via London in March. He was a co-passenger of the fourth positive techie.

Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said on Monday evening that the new patient had travelled along with the 50-year-old techie, who had tested positive on March 10. “He was under home isolation and his primary contacts are only his wife and domestic help. All preventive measures and have been initiated,” the Minister said.

The Health and Family Welfare department has released details of patient 9 and 10 on Tuesday.

The ninth patient is a 20 years old female who travelled from UK is tested positive. She is admitted in designated isolation hospital in Bangalore, statement by the department said.

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The tenth patient is a 60 year old male who is tested positive had come in contact of with the Kalaburgi patient who passed away on March 10. The 60 year old patient is admitted in designated isolation hospital in Kalaburagi.

Intensifying its surveillance, the Health Department has been able to contact 42,000 passengers, who landed at Kempegowda International Airport and have submitted declarations with their phone numbers and email ID, on a single day through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).

“We used the phone numbers of passengers provided in the declaration forms and through IVRS have been able to contact them all on a single day on Monday. Through IVRS, they have been asked to strictly be under home isolation,” Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa who had a video conference with Deputy Commissioners on Monday reviewed surveillance measures in districts. He also reviewed the implementation of the orders issued by the State to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

He said entry is prohibited to tourists in Mandya, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Ballari, Koppal, and Kodagu districts.

“While homestays are under scrutiny, foreign tourists and people who have returned from foreign tours are being screened thoroughly,” he said.

“Help desks will be set up in railway stations, bus stands and check-posts at the border areas of the State and screening will be undertaken here too. As people visit temples in large numbers, all shanties and jathras have been prohibited as a precaution,” he said.

Stating that super markets have been permitted to open doors to facilitate purchase of essential commodities, the Chief Minister asked officials to ensure that people are not put to hardship due to the precautions.

Meanwhile, 44 persons have been isolated in various designated hospitals in the State, including 11 in Bengaluru hospitals. Nine of these have been admitted and 36 discharged on Monday.

Till date, 1,14,705 passengers have been screened in Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports, and Mangaluru and Karwar seaports. So far, a total of 537 mental health counselling sessions have been done for all positive cases and those who are under home quarantine.

A COVID-19 control room has been set up in Vikasa Soudha and an IPS officer on probation has been put in charge of this. This control room has been running round the clock to receive information and disseminate guidance and decisions taken at the State level.