Karnataka startups launch six indigenous products to tackle COVID-19

Startups

Speaking at the official launch, Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan said it was a matter of pride for the state as the role of Kannadigas was significant in developing the products.

PTI

The Karnataka government supported startups in the state have produced six products locally to tackle coronavirus, which are now being imported, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Tuesday. Speaking at the official launch of these products, Ashwath Narayan, who holds the portfolio of IT-BT, Science and Technology and Higher Education, said it was a matter of pride for the state as the role of Kannadigas was significant in developing the products. Launched a number of products developed at @Innovate_at_BBC for #COVID19 including a UV-ROS box, probes & reagents for RT-PCR tests, AI based detection devices and more.The work being done here is fascinating. Entrepreneurs need to work together to ensure Lab to Market ! @ITBTGoK pic.twitter.com/zKpf0anzN2 — Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) July 7, 2020 "These products will reduce our burden of importing expensive equipment and tools in fighting this pandemic. We must take pride in the fact that we have reached this level of innovating and producing locally," said the Deputy Chief Minister. All the 6 products have been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for immediate use. The products will also be commercially available with immediate effect; The Shieldex 24; Fluorescent probes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mix for Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) detection; Remote foetal monitoring device called Daksh; Viral Transport Medium; Cov-Astra an AI- based device for detection of COVID-19 through an X-Ray; and anti-microbial face wash containing herbal antimicrobials. According to the Department of IT-BT and Science and Technology, Shieldex 24, developed by Ravi Kumar from Biofi, can eliminate viruses located on any object. Florescence Probes by Dr Govindarajan and Dr Meher Prakash from VNIR, are part of the COVID-19 test kits. Daksh, developed by Dr Arun Agrawal from Janitri, is useful for COVID-19 positive pregnant women as it helps remote monitoring of the foetus. Viral Transport Medium, developed by Manjunatha and Dinesh from Deno Bio labs at IBAB, helps in safely transporting the live virus sample from the sample collection centre to the testing lab. Cov-Astra, an AI-based device for detection of coronavirus, is developed by Adarsh Nararajan from Aindra. It is considered as a significant breakthrough that can detect COVID-19 virus through an X-ray and eliminates the conventional throat swab way of testing people. Per detection cost is significantly lesser at Rs 150 to Rs 250 per person. Anti-microbial face wash containing herbal antimicrobials, developed by Dr Latha Damle and team from Atrimed, can kill any virus, including COVID-19 virus, from any person's face within seconds, the department said.

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800 new cases reported in Bengaluru on Tuesday, 1,498 new cases recorded in state

Coronavirus

Karnataka, including Bengaluru, saw a drop in the total number of daily cases for the second consecutive day.

TNM Staff

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The number of new COVID-19 cases recorded in Bengaluru saw a dip for the second consecutive day with 800 new cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of active cases to 9,395 in Karnataka’s capital. Bengaluru reported 1,235 new cases on Sunday and 981 cases on Monday. Among the 800 cases, 42 of them were categorised as either severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI). All other patients did not have relevant contact or travel history. No new COVID-19 death was reported from Bengaluru city on Tuesday. In a corresponding drop in the number of cases statewide compared to the last two days, Karnataka saw 1,498 new cases on Tuesday, taking the number of active cases to 15,297 across 30 districts of the state. Karnataka saw 1,925 cases on Sunday and 1,843 on Monday.  A total of 571 patients were discharged from hospitals following their recovery in the state, of which 265 were from Bengaluru. Dakshina Kannada reported 83 new cases on Tuesday becoming the second-highest in the daily increase of cases. Dharwad (57), Kalaburagi and Bidar (51 each), Mysuru (49), Ballari (37), Uttara Kannada (35) and Shivamogga (33) were the other districts with more than 30 cases.  A total of 279 patients in the state are in a critical condition out of whom 175 are in Bengaluru. 15 such patients are from Ballari while 11 are from Raichur. No other district in the state has more than 10 critical COVID-19 patients. With a total of 15 COVID-19 deaths reported from the state on Tuesday, the state death toll for the pandemic rose to 416. Out of the 15 deaths, four each was reported from Bidar and Mysuru. Kalaburagi reported two case fatalities, while Davanagare, Belagavi, Bagalkote, Hassan and Dharwad reported one death each. Despite the continued spike in cases, the state government has denied community transmission contradicting even experts working with the state administration. “There is no community spread so far, I am making it very clear. We are still in between the second and the third stage, we haven't reached the third stage yet,” state Health Minister B Sriramulu said earlier in the day.

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Demands of contract doctors, ASHA workers will be met: Ktaka Health Min Sriramulu

Coronavirus

Contract doctors have demanded to be regularised, and ASHA workers have demanded an increase in pay.

TNM Staff

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Concerns raised by 600 contract doctors as well as ASHA and anganwadi workers in the state will be addressed, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Tuesday.    Contract doctors had two primary demands — that their pay is increased and that they are made permanent. The salaries of these doctors was hiked at the start of July to Rs 60,000 from Rs 45,000 after they threatened to quit en masse. However, their other major demand of being made permanent was left unaddressed.   “Contract doctors who are protesting demanding that their services be made permanent need not worry. In 2008-09, during my previous stint as the Health Minister, 1944 contractor doctors were made permanent. Today [Tuesday], the Chief Minister has agreed to make 600 of these doctors permanent. The decision will be taken after a meeting with the contract doctors,” Sriramulu told reporters.   On the issue of ASHA (accredited social health activists) and anganwadi workers also being discontent, he urged the workers not to quit service and assured that their demands will be met.  They have been demanding that they are paid Rs 12,000 each month. They are currently paid around Rs 4,000.  Sriramulu was speaking to reporters following a meeting with a central government delegation visiting the state regarding the management of the pandemic. In that meeting, the Karnataka government said that there was no community spread of COVID-19 in the state.  “There is no community spread so far, I am making it very clear. We are still in between the second and the third stage, we haven't reached the third stage yet," Sriramulu said. As of July 6, 25,317 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the state, which includes 401 deaths and 10,527 discharges. However, the contacts of many patients who tested positive recently, especially in Bengaluru, are yet to be traced. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa held discussions with the Additional Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department Arti Ahuja and the Director of Emergency Medical Relief P Raveendran regarding the COVID-19 situation in the state.

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