Shops on Bengaluru’s Commercial Street shut over lack of physical distancing

The BBMP also shut down non-essential commercial establishments in shopping streets adjoining Commercial Street.

TNM Staff

Representation photo

Shops on Bengaluru’s Commercial Street were forced to shutter on Friday after Bengaluru’s civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike found that physical distancing norms were allegedly being violated. The BBMP also shut down commercial establishments in seven other areas adjoining Commercial Street citing lack of physical distancing, Deccan Herald reported. The Karnataka government had allowed standalone and neighbourhood stores to open in non-containment zones from May 4 in a bid to kick-start the economic activities in the state. Traders in Commercial Street and adjoining areas of the shopping district were allowed to open as well on condition that owners ensured physical distancing is maintained.  Customers began flouting physical distancing norms despite traders asking them repeatedly to maintain distance with each other on Commercial Street, TOI reported. However, on streets adjoining Commercial Street including Narayan Pillai Street, Jumma Masjid Road, Jain Temple Road, Evening Bazaar in Seppings Road, Dhamaraj Koli Street OPH Road and Mir Obedullah Road, the traders allegedly violated physical distancing norms blatantly, the DH report added.  The BBMP has stated that groceries, pharmacies and milk supply shops in these areas will be allowed to remain open, the TOI report stated.  On Friday, the BBMP’s Joint Commissioner for East Division issued a closure order for all non-essential commercial establishments in the area citing the lack of physical distancing and due to traders flouting norms.  “BBMP along with the health and police officials kept reminding the traders about the need for social-distancing rules and other procedures for the safe practice of trade. But none of them complied with the social-distancing rules and began to congregate in large groups. As we found that this might trigger a potential hazard and help in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the coming days, we have ordered closure of commercial establishments other than medical, grocery, vegetable and fruit shops,” the order states. The BBMP kept a strict vigil on the area after new COVID-19 cases were reported in Shivajinagar and parts of the area was already declared a containment zone. A month ago, the BBMP ordered the closure of the famous Russell Market in Shivajinagar, adjacent to Commercial Street, after traders refused to follow physical distancing.  “We ensured that social distancing norms were maintained. We had painted boxes to ensure that shoppers stay two metres apart. Nowhere were rules flouted. We’re suffering huge losses. With no sales, how are we supposed to pay rent for these stores? The government won’t pay the rent, will it?” TOI quoted a trader on Commercial Street as saying.   

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Karnataka govt chalks out plan to reduce mortality rate of COVID-19 patients

Coronavirus

The state government decided to apply to the ICMR to seek permission to conduct lung biopsies after the death of COVID-19 patients and for clinical autopsies.

PTI

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With the COVID-19 cases crossing 750 and the fatalities reaching 30,the Karnataka government on Friday decided to work out strategies to minimise the mortality rate in the fight against the coronavirus in the state. Karnataka recorded its biggest ever single-day spike of 48 new COVID-19 cases, including an infant, taking its total to 753 today. Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar chaired a high-level meeting with the top rank officials to chalk out a strategy to minimise the deaths due to the deadly virus, a government press release said. The state government is taking its fight against COVID-19 to the next level, and will additionally focus on measures to reduce the mortality rate in critical patients in the State by strengthening health systems to ensure that critical patients are treated earlys "This will help reduce the death rate of COVID-19 patients in Karnataka," Bhaskar was quoted as saying. He said instructions have been given to all the District Health Officers to nominate nodal and sub-nodal officers to monitor and capture details of ICU patients, patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and the critically ill on a day-to-day basis. Necessary arrangements have been made for the Critical Care Support Team to conduct training for COVID-19 teams in designated hospitals on current treatment protocols, the officials apprised the Chief Secretary. It was pointed out in the meeting that district committees to streamline their interactions with the Critical Care Support Team for better patient care have been set up. Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar apprised the Chief Secretary that the team of expert doctors have recommended the use of pulse oximeters for all patients. It was also decided in the meeting that all the patients having lung related diseases should be tested for COVID-19, the press release stated. "We have advised districts to procure two or three high flow nasal cannula systems for patients and suggested non-invasive ventilation for patients as well," Akhtar was quoted as saying. The government was open to involving private medical colleges and private institutions if there was surge in COVID-19 cases. The state government decided to apply to the ICMR to seek permission to conduct lung biopsies after the death of COVID-19 patients and for clinical autopsies. "This (lung biopsy) will help in providing critical patients with more effective care and bring down mortality rates," Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare,said.  

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Former NIH chief favored as Trump’s ‘therapeutics czar’

Zerhouni is thought to be the favorite, said two people, and one person said that Azar personally prefers Zerhouni for the role.

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Federal watchdog recommends reinstating ousted vaccine expert during investigation

The Office of the Special Counsel is recommending that Bright be temporarily reinstated.

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Over 500 migrant workers gather at Mangaluru station, demand to be sent home by train

Coronavirus

The workers were from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, district officials in Dakshina Kannada stated.

Prajwal Bhat

Hundreds of migrant workers gathered at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station on Friday morning demanding trains to take them to their homes. The workers were from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, district officials in Dakshina Kannada stated. Over 500 workers gathered at the railway station early on Friday morning. They walked to the railway station from areas like Surathkal, Nanthoor, Kulur and Derebail nearby. According to police officials in Dakshina Kannada, the workers included construction labourers, barbers, helpers at hotels, malls and people who worked with small businesses. Dakshina Kannada Assistant Commissioner Madan Mohan arrived on the spot to pacify the workers, who informed officials that they were willing to walk long distances if trains were not arranged for them. "We managed to convince them to return to their residence by the afternoon. They had gathered there to travel to Bengaluru by train hoping to board one of the trains arranged for interstate travel of migrant workers," Dakshina Kannada SP BM Laxmi Prasad told TNM. A majority of the workers who had gathered were from Jharkhand. Police officials showed the workers a tweet by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren stating that train services to Karnataka will be arranged soon. The workers, after discussion with officials, agreed to return to their residences. On Thursday, the Karnataka government re-started train service to ferry migrant workers back to their homes from the state. Four trains - two of them leaving to Uttar Pradesh, one each to Bihar and Jharkhand, were announced on Friday with 1200 workers on board each train. The workers paid full ticket fares to travel back to their homes.

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Wipro GE Healthcare, PPHF partner with K’taka govt to support COVID-19 referral hospital

Coronavirus

WGE and its NGO partner, PPHF have supported the isolation centre in Ramanagara district with 50 isolation beds and an ICU comprising nine motorised beds.

TNM Staff

Karnataka government’s administrative office at Kandhya Bhawan, Ramanagara district has been converted into a dedicated COVID-19 referral hospital. Wipro GE Healthcare (WGE) and its NGO partner, People to People Health Foundation (PPHF) have collaborated with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, to support this Isolation Centre with 50 isolation beds and an ICU comprising nine motorised beds. WGE and PPHF have also provided 500 PPEs (personal protective equipments) and N95 masks to ensure safety of doctors and frontline healthcare workers in Bengaluru.  “India is courageously working in managing the corona impact. We are committed to take forward the vision of our government of a corona free nation. We appreciate the timely support from Wipro GE Healthcare and People to People Health Foundation (PPHF) for supporting the dedicated COVID-19 referral hospital and donating essential protective supplies for emergency responders. Let us come out together stronger than ever as a nation," said B Sriramulu, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Government of Karnataka. The manner in which the government, healthcare sector, companies and society have come together to solve the challenges arising out of COVID-19 is truly outstanding, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare. “Our CSR is focused around efforts that positively improve lives of people and communities we serve. We are thankful to the Government of Karnataka for this partnership and hope this helps them address the unprecedented demand arising out of this pandemic to meet patient needs and save lives.” Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, New Delhi has also established a dedicated COVID-19 hospital (Block 1 and Block 2), with a 5-floor isolation centre to support the rising demand of COVID-19 patients. WGE and PPHF have supported this isolation centre with 90 isolation beds and a dedicated ICU comprising 30 motorised beds. Also, 500 PPE kits and N95 masks have been provided for doctors and healthcare workers at RML. “An unimaginable crisis has surrounded us, and our collective response will save lives. PPHF, being a public health organisation, is collaborating with private sectors and extending its support to the Government of India in strengthening the health system infrastructure by providing life supporting medical equipment and supplies  to COVID-19 hospitals, supporting healthcare workers on infection prevention and supporting hygiene promotion activities in the community,” said Dr Laxmikant Palo, CEO, PPHF. “I’m delighted that the Wipro GE Healthcare and PPHF partnership will help to contribute to the government’s efforts to save lives.”

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MyGate, Metalstreet partner to install disinfection tunnel at high footfall locations

Coronavirus

The Hygiene Walkway is a low-cost disinfection tunnel that sanitises people at entry points of premises and has already been installed at key locations across Bengaluru.

TNM Staff

To promote hygiene at locations that witness significant footfall, such as hospitals, gated communities, offices, malls and industries, MyGate has collaborated with Metalstreet to introduce the Hygiene Walkway, a low-cost disinfection tunnel that sanitises people at entry points of these premises. The product has already been installed at key locations across Bengaluru, including the entrance to a large hospital, a police station and is currently being installed at a large gated community. Some of the benefits of Hygiene Walkway are: Complements all other hygiene practices being employed at the premises; uses an organic and anti-microbial solution to eliminate germs and viruses at the gate itself; around 240 people can pass through the Walkway in an hour, thereby eliminating congestion at the gate; fully automated, requiring no additional manpower to manage or operate; and it is integrated with infrared thermometers for automatic detection of body temperature. Vijay Arisetty, CEO & Co-Founder, MyGate says that as restrictions ease, all spaces with high footfall will have a new task - ensuring hygiene of all those who enter. “Products such as the Hygiene Walkway will, therefore, be essential to maintaining high hygiene standards at all times without hampering movement at the gate. We are very happy to collaborate with Metalstreet on this initiative and believe it will go a long way toward ensuring public safety in the coming months,” he adds.  myGate is a mobile-based security management solution for gated residential premises. It was launched in the market in late 2016 in Bengaluru and aims to make security solutions in gated communities seamless.  With hygiene and sanitisation being the need of the hour, the Hygiene Walkway was conceptualised to provide quick and efficient sanitisation while being easy and cost-effective to deploy, says Shashank Ananth, Co-Founder, Metalstreet. “The walkway can also be customised to meet specific requirements of smaller facilities. And by collaborating with MyGate, we are looking to up the hygiene quotient significantly and contribute to India’s fight against COVID-19,” he adds.  Metalstreet is a Bengaluru-based B2B marketplace for metals trading in India. 

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