Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday reinforced COVID-19 containment and surveillance measures following four positive cases in the state, an official said on Wednesday.
“Karnataka has strengthened all surveillance and containment measures against the possible spread of the disease,” state health department’s Information, Education and Communication (IEC) special officer Suresh Shastri told IANS.
As part of the reinforced steps, district mental health counsellors are following up with suspected cases under home and hospital quarantine through telephonic contact on a daily basis.
The state government has decided to postpone all international conferences in Karnataka with immediate effect until further notice.
“The state coordination meeting has been conducted under the chairmanship of Health and Family Welfare Commissioner to review contact tracing of positive cases and preparedness of isolation wards and quarantine facilities in both public and private health facilities,” said the statement.
For better awareness on coronavirus, the health department’s IEC wing has prepared an enhanced plan for Bengaluru Urban and the areas falling under the city civic body limits.
Additionally, five more ambulances have been added to raise the total to 10 for quick COVID-19 response in Bengaluru.
The number of positive coronavirus cases has remained static at four on Wednesday in the state, said an official health department statement.
At one positive case’s residence in the city, the health department has deployed a medical team for round the clock monitoring.
“Disinfection as per protocols have been done at all places visited by all the cases since arrival in India, including work places. Cleaning staff in the apartment have been trained regarding disinfection and regular cleaning advice,” said the health department statement.
As of Wednesday, the number of persons admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases for selected isolated observation stands at 10, followed by two more at a hospital in Dakshina Kannada.
“As many as 526 samples of symptomatic persons were collected for testing and 441 samples have returned negative,” said the statement.
Nearly 839 people are going through home quarantine across the state while 1,142 people have enrolled for observation.
Across the state, 98,401 passengers have been thermal-screened for the virus till now at the Kempegowda International Airport in the city and the Mangaluru International Airport.
Another 5,387 passengers were also checked for the virus at Karwar and Mangaluru seaports.
Schools to remain open
As per a few reports, the state education ministry had decided to shut down schools till March end. But in a fresh notification, the Karnataka government has said that, as there is no emergency situation, the schools will continue to be open.
According to the new directives of the state government, all the hospitals must have flu corners and suspected cases should be screened. It has also directed the district administrations to implement the necessary plan of action towards preventing the spread of the deadly virus, if the person from a particular location tests positive for covid-19.
The government has also suggested banning the entry and exit of people, including vehicular movement, in affected areas, designating any private or government building for the isolation of covid-19 affected patients, sealing of the particular geographic area, all department officials to be kept on standby by the district administration to handle the situation, and people violating the rules and regulations to be subjected to legal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal code (IPC).
All the regulations will fall under the “Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Covid 19 Regulations 2020”.
