A 30-year-old government doctor, Basavaraj Karigoudar, who was working at Kaladgi Primary Health Centre in Mudhol taluk of Bagalkot district, succumbed to COVID-19 infection at a private hospital in Bengaluru. This is the first COVID-19 fatality in the medical fraternity in Karnataka.
The doctor, who was infected with Hepatitis B following a needle prick injury at work, subsequently developed liver failure. He was shifted to Fortis Hospital on Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru for liver transplant last week.
However, he contracted COVID-19 infection at the hospital and died due to complications on Thursday, Anant Desai, Bagalkot District Health Officer, told
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Six deaths, 442 new cases
While the department’s health bulletin has not recorded the doctor’s death, it reported six other deaths on Thursday taking the toll to 170. Mysuru reported its first death on Thursday with a 87-year-old male patient with inter-district travel history, who also had hypertension and ischemic heart disease, succumbing to the infection. While Bengaluru Rural reported three deaths, Kalaburagi and Dakshina Kannada reported one each.
With 442 new cases, the total number of positive cases touched 10,560. This includes 6,670 patients discharged, 170 COVID-19 deaths, four non-COVID-19 deaths, and 3,716 active cases. Bengaluru continued to report the highest number of cases with 113 on Thursday.
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Thursday also saw the highest number of patients discharged on a single day with 519 recovering and going home. A major chunk of the recoveries were from Yadgir, Dakshina Kannada, Ballari, Raichur, and Dharwad.
The new cases included 119 primary contacts of previous positive patients, 87 Influenza Like Illness (ILI) cases and 11 SARI cases. While 64 of them are Maharashtra returnees, 23 are travellers from abroad.
The number of critical patients is also on the rise with a total of 160 patients being treated in ICU.
More beds
Meanwhile, the State government identified 11 more private medical colleges/speciality hospitals and one government institution with a total 0f 2,324 beds to function as dedicated facilities for COVID-19 treatment in Bengaluru. As many as 2,200 beds of the total 10,689 beds available in these private hospitals, 281 ICU beds and 120 ventilators will be available for COVID-19 cases.
That apart, 104 beds, 12 ICU beds, and 12 ventilators in the State-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) will also be made available for treatment, stated an order issued by the Directorate of Medical Education.
The 11 colleges include Akash Medical College in Devanahalli, BGS Global Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College, East Point Medical College, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, M S Ramaiah Medical College, MVJ Medical College, Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, St John's Medical College Hospital, Oxford Medical College & Research Institute and Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences.
In a tweet, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said: “We are adding capacity to treat COVID patients. Eleven private medical colleges will function as COVID-19 treatment facilities with 2,200 reserved beds. Of these 281 are ICU beds and 120 are beds with ventilator. Each medical college will have a testing lab and at least 2 fever clinics.”
‘Krishna’ hit
Two police constables, one BESCOM employee, and another staffer from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services deputed at “Krishna”, the Chief Minister’s home office, have tested positive.
₹30 cr. for purchase of ambulances
A decision was taken by the State Cabinet to release ₹30 crore for purchase of ambulances. With the increase in COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, sources said that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has asked the Departments of Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education to make arrangements for treating infected people at Palace Grounds and various kalyana mantaps in the city.
Public entry to LH banned
The State Legislature secretariat has banned the entry of public to the Legislators’ Home (LH) in the wake of COVID-19 cases among police posted here.
Speaker of the legislative Assembly and chairman of the legislative Council on Thursday held a meeting with senior officials and decided to ask all those illegally staying in the legislators’ rooms to move out.
Legislators have been instructed to take along their personal assistance, a driver, and a bodyguard to the LH. The staff have been told to cooperate for screening tests. Only vehicles of legislators will be allowed to park here.