Karnataka registers highest single day COVID-19 spike, reports 8642 new cases

Coronavirus

Bengaluru reported 2804 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

TNM Staff

PTI/File photo

The curve continues to climb in Karnataka, as it has registered its highest single day spike of coronavirus infections, with 8,642 cases reported on Wednesday evening. This takes the state’s total reported cases of coronavirus to 2.49 lakh. However, the bulletin also stated that 7,201 patients recovered on Wednesday, taking the total recoveries in Karnataka to 1,64,150. Bengaluru Urban continued to account for the highest number of cases (2,804), resulting in the city tally rising to 96,910, out of which 33,280 cases are active. Other districts also reported high caseloads of the virus, with Shivamogga accounting for 915 infections, followed by Mysuru (562), Ballari (537), Belagavi (379), Udupi (375), Dharwad (253), Dakshina Kannada (234) and Davangere (228). Meanwhile, 126 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus, taking the state's toll to 4,327. Most of the deaths were reported from Bengaluru urban district, with 52 deaths reported in the city on this date, taking the total reported deaths in the capital city to 1,588. Other places reported less than ten deaths on this date, as Dharawada and Ballari reported nine deaths each, while Koppala reported 8 deaths on Wednesday. Of the state's 2.49 lakh cases, 81,097 are active including 704 patients in ICU. Bengaluru has the highest number of cases in intensive care units, with 329 patients. As far as testing goes, Karnataka tested 30,399 samples using rapid antigen tests and 32,686 samples using RT PCR on Wednesday. This takes the total tests conducted in the state to 63,085.  On Wednesday, State Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey inaugurated a state level orientation programme aimed at negating stigma and discrimination against coronavirus patients. He also unveiled some booklets in English and Kannada on COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. With inputs from IANS

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COVID-19 Karnataka: Chamarajanagar has best enforcement, contact tracing figures

Coronavirus

Chamrajanagar fares best among all districts in the state with 7.1 primary contacts per patient.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image/PTI

Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka, once infamous for being sandalwood smuggler Veerapan’s hideout, popular among wildlife enthusiasts and considered unlucky by a long line of Chief Ministers, is now a dark horse, leading in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The state COVID-19 War Room report shows as of Wednesday that the district has the highest number of incidents of action taken against violation of COVID-19 regulations and the best surveillance record. Enforcement The district has the most (40) number of FIRs (first information report) and institutional quarantine (IQ) initiated per 1,000 violations of home quarantine norms. It is followed by Bidar and Gadag having 33 and 26 numbers of FIRs and IQs registered for 1,000 such violations. Contact tracing When it comes to district-wise number of primary contacts per patient for the last 15 days, Chamarajanagar fares best among all districts in the state at 7.1, followed by Mandya at 5.7 and Davangere at 4.9. Considering both primary and secondary contacts, the district has a better record with 14.4 contacts per patient compared to Tumakuru’s 9.8, which is a distant second. Efficient contact tracing work has led to the district having one of the best positivity rates (the number of positive patients per 100 tests) among asymptomatic patients for the last 7 days at 5.7%. Only Chikkaballapura has a better number at 5.3% for the same category. According to the WHO, 5% should be the target positivity rate for an entire population. While statewide, the number of cases has seen an exponential increase since the last week of June, Chamarajanagar has seen an arrested growth both in caseload and fatalities.  Only Kodagu (337) has fewer number of active cases in the state than Chamarajanagar (422). In terms of fatalities too, the district fares better than most with 21 deaths (21.6 deaths per million population). Statewide, Karnataka has a death per million figure of 66.1. According to senior officials in the Karnataka government engaged to manage the crisis, the condition is the testament to the district authority’s intervention even though it’s the third least populous district. While the population is less, it borders Mysuru as well as Erode in Tamil Nadu. It’s also a district which acts as a transit between Bengaluru and Kerala. Senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil, State War Room-in-charge said, “The number of contacts per patient shows that the district is doing good work. That's the only way to prevent the spread of the infection. The higher (the number of contacts), the better; else, if we don't identify and quarantine contacts, they will spread the infection to others.” He added, “It's most important that all contacts and interstate arrivals quarantine themselves. If that happens, then in 20-25 days COVID-19 will reduce by 90% in the state.”

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816 pourakarmikas tested positive in Bengaluru, over 11,000 antigen tests conducted

Coronavirus

Of the 816 workers who tested positive, 423 workers were hospitalised, 341 workers received treatment in COVID-Care Centres while 52 remained in home isolation.

Prajwal Bhat

Pourakarmikas protest in Bengaluru | Image for representation

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Wednesday stated that 816 pourakarmikas in Bengaluru have tested positive for the coronavirus. BBMP stated in a written submission to the Karnataka High Court that 11,902 rapid antigen tests and 3872 RT-PCR tests were conducted on pourakarmikas, including supervisors, helpers and drivers, involved in solid waste management in the city.  Of the 816 workers who tested positive, 423 workers were hospitalised, 341 workers received treatment in COVID-Care Centres, while 52 remained in home isolation.  Pourakarmikas who were symptomatic and tested negative in the rapid antigen test were subjected to the confirmatory RT-PCR test, BBMP stated. The civic body revealed that there was a delay in conducting rapid antigen tests in the city's south zone and that more RT-PCR tests were conducted there. "We welcome the BBMP's submission. Are pourakarmikas in a muster being quarantined when one worker tests positive?"  Nirmala M of the BBMP Pourakarmikara Sangha asked. Earlier in July, pourakarmikas in Bengaluru held protests in their respective wards, calling for the civic body to take measures to safeguard sanitation workers, especially those who contract the coronavirus. The protests were held in the wake of news confirmed by the then BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar that five pourakarmikas had succumbed to death after being infected with the virus.  In particular, the death of pourakarmika P Shilpa, a worker in the Vishwanath Nagenahalli ward in the city, was highlighted by the workers. Her father MC Srinivas earlier told TNM that he tried reaching out to seven hospitals after Shilpa's COVID-19 test result came positive, but she was refused admission.   Bengaluru has reported 94,106 COVID-19 cases of which 33,081 are currently active. 

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‘Give reservations for Kannadigas in pvt sector like MP’: Pro-Kannada activists

Reservations

Although the Karnataka government had announced that reservations will be made in the private sector for clerical and blue collar jobs, the state government has not passed a legislation to this effect.

TNM Staff

File photo

Pro-Kannada activists took to Twitter on Wednesday, demanding reservation in government and private sector jobs for those who are from Karnataka. The Twitter storm comes in the wake of the Madhya Pradesh government announcing 70% reservation of jobs in the private sector for those who are from the state. This means that preference would be given for locals in Madhya Pradesh. However, the MP state government said that necessary legal provisions required to implement the order are yet to be made. Breaking - @ChouhanShivraj announces that jobs in MP Govt to be exclusively for people from MP only. pic.twitter.com/wToUWJe6c9 — Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) August 18, 2020 The pro-Kannada activists demanded that the Karnataka government implement recommendations of the Sarojini Mahishi report of 1986. The Sarojini Mahishi report recommended job reservations for Kannadigas in government and the private sector. Many of the 58 recommendations made in the report have been implemented by successive state governments in power in the state. Many pro-Kannada organisations have pointed to the recommendations made in the report asking for a greater share of jobs in Karnataka for Kannadigas. Chetan Ahima, a noted Kannada actor and social activist said in a tweet, “#KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas. Madhya Pradesh just announced all government jobs for state citizens (local residents). MP had reserved 70% jobs in the private sector for locals. KA (Karnataka) must also give public and private jobs to state residents according to the Sarojini Mahishi Report with emphasis on caste, class and gender.” #KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas Madhya Pradesh just announced all govt jobs for state citizens. In '19, MP had reserved 70% jobs in private sector for locals KA must also give public & private #jobs to state residents acc to Sarojini Mahishi Report w/ emphasis on caste/class/gender — Chetan Kumar (@ChetanAhimsa) August 19, 2020 How would Delhi media reacted if any of the Southern leader made similar comment/law?? Even during British Raj British people were allowed to have reservations but not the other way round.#KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas https://t.co/ATgDglcFvq — ನವನೀತ್ ಗೌಡ | Navaneeth Gowda (@NavaneethGowda1) August 18, 2020 “Anyone upset about regionalism? When Kannadigas demand the option to answer IBPS (Institute of Banking and Personal Selection) in Kannada, it upsets some people to no end,” Lavanya Ballal, spokesperson of the Karnataka Congress said in a tweet. In 2019, the Karnataka government had announced reservation in jobs in the private sector for those residing in Karnataka for not less than 15 years in the group D sector. This includes clerical and blue collar jobs. The government order also included reservation for those who can write, read, speak and understand Kannada. are eligible to be recruited by private industries and factories for their clerical and shop floor jobs. At the time, the Karnataka government had announced that necessary legislation would be brought to determine the percentage of reservation among other issues, including the ability to write competitive exams in Kannada. However, the state government has not yet passed any such legislation, and the 2019 order cannot be implemented yet. Pro-Kannada rights activists have been demanding that the government give reservations to Kannadigas in government and private sector jobs for years now. They have held state-wide bandhs to get the government’s attention. The most recent protest that was held was in February this year. Various associations and trade unions came together in a state-wide bandh to put pressure on the government including the Auto drivers, Taxi drivers’ union and the truckers union. Read: Bengaluru witnesses protest demanding more jobs for Kannadigas Read: ‘Kannadigas must get lion’s share of jobs in Karnataka’: CM Yediyurappa in I-Day speech

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Siddaramaiah alleges BSY govt busy with politicising Bengaluru riots, not bothered about floods

Politics

Siddaramaiah questioned why instead of the Revenue Minister, the Home Minister was reviewing damage caused by floods.

Soumya Chatterjee

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday labelled the state government’s response to the flood situation in parts of the state as “mismanagement”. He also highlighted that it was Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai who was surveying damages caused by the floods instead of Revenue Minister R Ashoka. He alleged that Ashoka was spending his time speculating on the Bengaluru riots. He also alleged the ruling-BJP was focused on gaining political mileage on account of the recent Bengaluru riots instead of focusing on flood relief. So far 18 persons have died as a result of heavy rain and resultant floods, landslides in central and northern districts since August 1. The Leader of Opposition in the state tweeted, “The whole state is suffering due to floods & its mismanagement. But @BJP4Karnataka is only interested in gaining political mileage using Bengaluru violence. Failure to provide relief & rehabilitation for last year's flood victims has added to the misery.” He added, “Home minister is surveying flood affected areas, While Revenue minister continues to speculate on Bengaluru violence. Is it not the duty of Revenue minister to assess the damage due to floods? @CMofKarnataka, direct your ministers to carry out their work.” Disaster Management department functions under the Revenue Department. In A third tweet of the series, Siddaramaiah said that he is overseeing the flood situation in Badami his constituency remotely as he has to remain in home isolation. “People of Badami are under stress due to floods. I am constantly monitoring the situation & also communicating with officers & our party leaders there. I am sorry for not being present there as I am under mandatory home isolation,” he added. It may be recalled that Siddaramaiah recently recovered from COVID-19 after he tested positive on August 4. He was admitted in Bengaluru’s Manipal Hospitals and was discharged on August 13. Siddaramaiah, originally from Mysuru had contested from Badami in Bagalkot district in the 2018 elections along with Chamundeshwari in Mysuru. This was done as he was vacated his safe seat of Varuna for his son Dr Yathindra. Though he lost in Chamundeshwari as widely anticipated, he managed to win from Badami against BJP heavyweight and current Health Minister B Sriramulu.

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Bengaluru riot: K’taka moves HC to appoint Claims Commissioner to estimate losses

Court

The government has decided to recover the damages caused by the riots from the culprits involved.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka government on Monday filed an application in the Karnataka High Court seeking the appointment of a Claims Commissioner for the approximation of the losses caused in the Bengaluru riot in DJ Halli and KG Halli police station limits on August 11. A High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Oka will be hearing the Karnataka’s government’s appeal on Thursday, August 20.  The state government announced that it has decided to recover the damages caused by the riots from the culprits involved and will be moving the court for the same. A Claims Commissioner will assess and estimate the damage caused and a newly-appointed special investigation team will look into the case. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had held a meeting with Home Minister Basavraj S Bommai to review the developments regarding the investigation into the riots on Monday. “Our government has decided to assess the damages caused to public and private property in the violent incidents in KG Halli and DJ Halli and recover the costs from the culprits. Stringent actions have been initiated against the culprits under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act- UAPA act,” the Chief Minister had said on Monday.  At least 38 policemen were injured and several vehicles as well as property, including DJ Halli police station and MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s residence, were damaged in the violence. Three men died allegedly after police opened fire to control the mob that went on a rampage on the night of August 11 and one person succumbed to his injuries a few days later at a hospital in Bengaluru.  The Bengaluru police have registered 52 FIRs and arrested 200 people so far in connection with the riots. Those arrested include Bengaluru district president of the  Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Muzammil Pasha and Kaleem Pasha, the husband of a Congress corporator Irshad Begum.  The violent mob attacks were triggered last week after a Facebook comment posted by Naveen P, a relative of Congress MLA R Akhand Srinivas Murthy, was found offensive by Muslims. The violence began on August 11 night and was quelled only in the early hours of Wednesday morning after police opened fire against the mob. 

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