Home Minister and Udupi district in-charge Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday directed the Health Department to conduct house-to-house survey in the district.
Chairing a meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the district through video-conferencing, Mr. Bommai said that the house-to-house survey should also be carried out in the urban areas. The Health Department should take the help of urban local bodies for this purpose. He directed the top officers of the district to ensure that people maintained social distancing compulsorily to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
He said that since the number of COVID-19 positive cases had increased in the neighbouring districts of Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada, security should be tightened in the border areas. Other than the vehicles for essential services, none should be allowed in the district. Stern action should be taken against vehicle owners driving around unnecessarily, Mr. Bommai said.
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Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha said that there were a total of 1,974 persons from the district who had returned from foreign countries and also 16 foreigners in the district. The quarantine period of all these 1,990 persons taken together was completed on April 5.
However, these persons had been kept under observation for another two weeks. All the 43 persons who had been in contact with the three COVID-19 positive patients were under quarantine and they had all tested negative for the disease, he said.
The administration had taken steps to transport the produce of farmers such as watermelons, pineapples and Mattu Gulla to other districts. The farmers had been provided with necessary help in their agricultural operations, Mr. Jagadeesha said.
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Superintendent of Police Vishnuvaradhana, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Sudhir Chandra Sooda and District COVID-19 Prevention Nodal Officer Prashanth Bhat were present.