There is no question that testing will remain a linchpin of the coronavirus response heading into the fall.
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Thursday, June 18, 2020
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Eight succumb to COVID-19 in Karnataka as death toll rises above 100
The number of active cases in the state is 2,824.
PTI
Karnataka reported eight COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, taking the coronavirus death toll in the state to 102. Five of the eight who passed away hail from Bengaluru Urban district. The other deceased are from Shivamogga, Bidar and Ballari, respectively. On Wednesday, the Karnataka government reported 204 new COVID-19 cases over a 24-hour period. The total number of reported cases in Karnataka so far is 7,734. However, the number of patients currently receiving treatment for the disease (‘active cases’) is 2,824. Bengaluru currently has 413 active cases of COVID-19, of which 55 are patients reported on Wednesday. There are currently 191 containment zones in Bengaluru, up from 113 zones on June 12. Kalaburagi tops the districts in the state with the most number of active cases: 442. Yadagiri (397), Raichuru (271) and Dakshina Kannada (225) too have high numbers of active cases. 108 of the 204 new patients reported on Wednesday are returnees from other states/countries. The rest are patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), influenza like illness (ILI) or contact history. There are currently 72 patients who are battling for their lives in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across the state. Most are in Bengaluru Urban district, with 36 people on ventilators. Kalaburagi reported eight people on ventilators, and Ballari, six. There are currently 55 new cases in Bengaluru including 32 SARI, ILI patients. The rest are all cases which have been found through contact tracing. The rising number of cases has meant that the containment zones in the city have also increased. Read: COVID-19 containment zones in Bengaluru city increase to 191 Yadgir district has reported 37 new cases of coronavirus. Ballari reported 29 new COVID-19 cases. The district has been on alert even since a coronavirus cluster emerged from the Jindal steel factory in Toranagallu village. The surrounding areas too are on high alert. Health officials are tracing contacts of the active cases. There are currently 222 active cases of coronavirus detected in the district. 348 recoveries were reported in the state on Wednesday. This includes 112 discharges in Yadgir, 100 discharges in Kalaburagi, 87 discharges in Udupi and 9 discharges in Bengaluru. This brings the total recoveries in Karnataka to 4,804.
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Congress picks BK Hariprasad, Naseer Ahmed as Karnataka MLC candidates
The BJP is yet to choose its candidates for the Legislative Council.
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The Congress high command has chosen two nominees for the Karnataka Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections, which are scheduled to be held shortly after the present term ends on June 30. According to an All India Congress Committee (AICC) press release, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has approved the candidature of BK Hariprasad and Naseer Ahmed to contest the biennial elections to the Legislative Council of Karnataka. BK Hariprasad is a former Rajya Sabha member, and former party general secretary, while Naseer Ahmed, who is presently an MLC is seeking re-election. The Legislative Council of Karnataka is set to be elected by MLAs. The Congress has 68 seats in the state Assembly, and can elect 2 MLC members According to Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar, there were more than 200 people who aspired to be on one of the two MLC tickets in Congress’ kitty. Meanwhile, the BJP high command has not yet chosen its MLC candidates. The last date for filing nominations is June 18. The BJP is able to nominate four seats in the Legislative Council out of the total 7 seats, as they hold the largest number of seats in the house. JD(S) will be able to nominate one member. The Karnataka BJP has recommended the names of R. Shankar, N. Nagaraju (MTB) and AH Vishwanath, former members of the MLC, as well as former MLA Sunil Vallyapure. Read: Karnataka BJP sticks to old promises in recommending names for MLC elections It is, however, unlikely that the BJP in Delhi will accept these names, as there currently is an ongoing power struggle between the high command and the Karnataka BJP. Inputs from PTI
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Karnataka govt to improve telecommunication network to boost remote working
The Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is set to meet stakeholders to discuss how to improve connectivity, thereby boosting efficiency.
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With the concept of "Work-from-Anywhere" gaining popularity, a meeting of all stakeholders will be called soon to improve the telecommunication system in Karnataka and action will be taken in this regard, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The Chief Minister, who reviewed the Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science and Technology department's progress, said that by improving the telecommunication network in the government and private sectors, efficiency and quickness in the functioning of government offices and other places can be improved. "Necessary action will be taken in this regard," he was quoted as saying by the Chief Minister’s office in a release. Telecommunication generally comprises different forms of network such as mobile networks, internet connectivity, broadband, fibrenet, and so on. Appreciating the department and its officials for extending moral support to industries during the COVID-19 situation, Yediyurappa complemented several start-ups that contributed in COVID management and extended help during the lockdown. He said the government is considering establishing a medical equipment and technology sector in the state in the days to come. The Chief Minister, who also reviewed the progress of the Skill Development Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department, asked officials to take steps to constitute an advisory committee for Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), comprising experts from the industrial sector as its members. "This will not only help improve the quality of training at ITIs, but also help in providing employment opportunities for students," he said. Noting that 112 ITIs in the state have currently joined hands with the industries, Yediyurappa suggested that more institutes and industries come together with an aim at providing training on the subjects for which there is demand in the sector. Based on the demand from industries, training will be provided under the department's programmes, which will also increase employment opportunities, he said. The Department, with aim at solving the unemployment problem of those who have returned to Karnataka from other states and countries due to COVID-19, was registering their details, the Chief Minister said. "So far 41,000 people have registered. There is more demand for getting employment and training in sectors like agriculture, tourism and construction," he said. He also acknowledged the department's work in providing work to Self Help Group members during the COVID lockdown period.
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Karnataka school holds revision classes for Class 10 students, inquiry on
The Karnataka government has stated that schools have to remain shut as per its latest guidelines issued over the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Mandya district administration is examining an incident of a school in the district conducting classes on Monday. Schools in Karnataka have remained closed since March but with the Class 10 board examinations scheduled to be held on June 25, classes were held for Class 10 students at the Viveka Vidya Samsthe. Speaking to TNM, Mandya Deputy Commissioner MV Venkatesh said that an inquiry will be conducted into the issue. "We asked the Deputy Director of Public Instruction to look into and submit a detailed report on this. It has appeared in the media and if there is a violation, we will initiate action," Venkatesh said. The Karnataka government has stated that schools have to remain shut as per its latest guidelines issued over the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite the order, Viveka Vidya Samsthe opened its doors to hold revision classes for Class 10 students ahead of the examination. Around 20 students were seen revising for the exams in the presence of teachers on Monday. The teachers stated that revision classes were held from 10 am to 1 pm in the morning session. While the students sat a few rows apart from each other to maintain physical distance, they were not seen wearing masks, something that the state government has been reiterating. "We visited the school and the doubts of students have been cleared. It appears to be students of Class 10 doing revision. We will be submitting a report on this, " an Education Department official in Mandya said. The Class 10 board exam for students in Karnataka is set to be held from June 25. A plea moved in the Supreme Court against conducting the exam was declined on Wednesday. Examinations were earlier scheduled to take place from March 27 and April 9. However, it was postponed following the lockdown in India over the coronavirus outbreak. Karnataka is grappling with over 7,000 COVID-19 cases of which 2,976 are active cases.
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Karnataka government to hire over 1,900 doctors via direct recruitment
According to reports, the government will bypass the Karnataka Public Service Commission.
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The Karnataka government is hastening the recruitment process of doctors in light of reports of staff shortages. Times of India reported that the government is set to hire over 1,900 doctors through the direct recruitment route, bypassing the Karnataka Public Service Commission. A special recruitment committee would be in charge of choosing the doctors to become part of the government workforce instead. Healthcare professionals who are interested in being recruited through this system can find further information through this link. Doctors who are recruited would be required to sign a bond stating that they would not take a long leave or leave the job for a period of six months at least. As with all other public services, KPSC usually conducts exams to shortlist doctors to become a regularised government doctor, but the government has decided to scrap this process due to the urgent necessity of doctors during the pandemic. The government will conduct recruitments through the Karnataka Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This comes after an announcement made in January by the Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu about his intention to begin direct recruitments of doctors, taking cognizance of the massive shortage of doctors in the state. Deccan Herald had reported in an article dated January 23 that Minister B Sriramulu, in a hospital inauguration function in Mysuru district, had announced that the state government would fill up the 3,500 doctors’ posts vacancies through direct recruitment. Meanwhile, the contract doctors who had threatened to put in their resignations due to lower pay have withdrawn their resignations, state health director Omprakash Patil told TNM. Around 500 contractual doctors had threatened to resign for failure to make them into regularised doctors. Those doctors who have been regularised are entitled to higher pay than contractual doctors, and additionally have the assurance of job security. Read: Doctors working on contract in Karnataka threaten mass resignation
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HAL market, CMH road shopkeepers lose business as fake COVID-19 messages spread
Another fake news that was spread far and wide was about a shop in Cambridge Layout.
Top in Town in Cambridge Layout in Bengaluru is a popular grocery store that has been operating in the area for many years now. While business has been dull ever since the lockdown started, the last two days have been terrible in particular. All thanks to a viral message that falsely claims, “Top in Town Cambridge Layout also sealed about half an hour back the owner is tested positive.” (sic) Abdullah Ismayil, the owner of the store, is baffled as to how the news started. “I have come to know about this fake news. I think this has been done by a rival store owner. On June 15 I had closed the store to do a stock check as I usually do once in six months. I had put a board outside declaring that the same. But despite this, this rumour was spread. This is hurting my business,” he says. With the number of COVID-19 patients in Bengaluru increasing steadily (though not at an alarming rate), citizens are understandably more concerned about the situation. However, this has also given way to rumours and fake news being circulated on Whatsapp, other instant messaging and social media platforms, impacting individuals and local businesses. One such fake news message which has been going viral says, “Breaking HAL MARKET has been sealed because a vegetable vendor and his family have tested positive for the Corona Virus. Please avoid going that way. Also, Krishna Temple Road and CMH Road and in the affected areas since yesterday afternoon.” (sic) There is no containment zone in HAL Market or in the entire HAL Airport ward, as published by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in its daily bulletin. Ward corporator Manjunath N speaking with TNM confirmed the same and said the market is open as usual. In CMH Road too, businesses are open as usual. There is no containment zone in Jeevan Bhima Nagar ward as well. However, there is one containment zone in Krishna Temple Road in Bengaluru which comes in Domlur ward. NS Ramamohan, president of CMH Road Shops and Establishments' Association, laments that these fake messages have ensured that they lose whatever little business they had gained after the lockdown was lifted. “We are losing business. We have suffered a lot during the lockdown. We are all open for business but customers may be afraid. In reality, they have put up a containment zone in an area surrounding a house on Krishna Temple Road.” Sunil Agarwal, owner of Karthik Mithai, a sweet shop on CMH Road says business has anyway been slower than usual for weeks, but the viral messages have come as a death blow. BBMP has been marking areas as containment zones only if they fall in a 100 metre perimeter of an affected independent house. Sometimes these zones are individual houses or a floor above and below where the person with the infection lives. But this has not stopped people from blindly forwarding messages that claim that an entire area has been sealed off. Another viral fake news message says, “IMP Announcement!! There has been a death due to COVID19 case on Krishna Temple Road. The exact lane is the lane where 'spoonful of sugar' is there. The house is in that lane. Please AVOID: Nilgiris, and other shopping options on Krishna Temple Road and also CMH Road for a few days IF YOU CAN! Stay safe. Bangalore, Ulsoor Area is surrounded by covid 19, It's on our door steps, infected in Ulsoor Bazar, Cambridge layout, Lakshmipuram, Indiranagar. Minimize & Avoid unwanted outings.” (sic) At present Ulsoor ward has two active patients. And terming the entire area as a no-go zone on that basis is nothing but alarming, say officials. Dr Lokesh, BBMP Special Commissioner and COVID-19 surveillance-in-charge, says, “There is no major reason for worry. There were some patients in the CMH Hospital and we had closed it down for two days and tested all necessary contacts. Following that on the third day services resumed as normal. Presently, there are no active cases.” Officials add that it is important that people step out only if necessary and should not crowd markets or shops. However, messages targeting individual shops or areas are hurting local businesses, delivering a serious economic blow to them. (IWith input from Alithea Stepahnie Mounika)
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