Karnataka records 113 COVID-19 fatalities on Monday, 27 from Bengaluru

Coronavirus

Bengaluru has the highest COVID-19 deaths among all Karnataka districts at 1938 followed by Mysuru at 438.

TNM Staff

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Karnataka reported 113 COVID-19 related fatalities on Monday, one of the highest number of daily deaths since the onset of the pandemic. The highest number of daily deaths reported in the state so far is 148.  According to the bulletin, 27 out of total 113 deaths reported on Monday are from Bengaluru Urban, followed by Dakshina Kannada (12), Dharwad (9), Davangere and Mysuru (6), Ballari, Belagavi and Haveri (5). Kalaburgi, Mandya and Shivamogga (4 each), Tumakuru and Vijayapura (3), Chamarajanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Raichur, Ramanagara and Udupi (2), and Bagalkote, Bengaluru rural, Bidar, Chikkaballapura, Gadag, Kolar, Koppal and Uttara Kannada (1 each), were the other districts with fatalities. Most of the dead are either with a history of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) or Influenza-like illness (ILI). With these new deaths confirmed on Monday, Bengaluru has the highest COVID-19 deaths among all Karnataka districts at 1938 followed by Mysuru at 438, and Dakshina Kannada at 354. On the same day, Karnataka reported 6,495 new cases of COVID-19 taking the total number of infections to 3,42,423. Out of 6,495 fresh cases reported on Monday, 1,862 cases were from Bengaluru Urban alone. Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 1,862, Mysuru 405, Ballari 365, Tumakuru 316, Chitradurga 286, Dharwad 279, Dakshina Kannada 270, Davangere 257, Hassan 217, Koppal 200, followed by others. Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 1,29,125 infections, followed by Ballari 21,341 and Mysuru 17,949. Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban tops the list with total 90,043 discharges, followed by Ballari 15,974 and Mysuru 12,753. A total of 28,95,807 samples were tested so far, out of which 43,132 were tested on Monday alone. Among the tests done on Monday, 13,056 were rapid antigen tests. Cumulatively, among the 3,42,423 COVID-19 positive cases, there have been 5,702 deaths and 2,49,467 discharges, the health department said in its bulletin.

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Karnataka Minister Shashikala Jolle tests positive for coronavirus

Coronavirus

The Women and Child Development Minister said she will remain under home isolation.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Women and Child Development Minister Shashikala Jolle on Monday said she has tested positive for the coronavirus and is under home quarantine. "I have been confirmed COVID positive. On the advice of the doctors I'm under 14 days home quarantine. I request all those who had come in my contact to get tested and quarantine themselves (sic)," Jolle tweeted. She said her health condition was currently stable and with love and wishes from everyone, would soon get back to serve the people. Jolle is the sixth minister in the Yediyurappa government to test positive for the novel coronavirus. Earlier this month, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Health Minister B Sriramulu, Tourism Minister CT Ravi, Agriculture Minister BC Patil, Forest Minister Anand Singh were among those who had tested positive and have now recovered. On Sunday, Karnataka BJP state president, Nalinkumar Kateel, had also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Kateel  who is also the Member of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency, said he has been hospitalised following the advice of doctors even though he is asymptomatic. He said that he was confident of returning to public life at the earliest.  Incidentally on Monday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was discharged from the hospital a week after he tested positive for the coronavirus. DK Shivakumar was receiving treatment in Suguna Hospital in Bengaluru's Rajajinagar. Former CM and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah had also tested positive for the virus and was admitted in the same private hospital in Bengaluru as the CM and recovered within two weeks. Incidentally Karnataka on Monday reported 6,495 new cases of COVID-19 and 113 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 3,42,423 and death toll to 5,702.

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COVID-19: Incentive scheme for plasma donors in Karnataka only on paper

Coronavirus

Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar had announced COVID-19 patients who come forward will be eligible for a Rs 5,000 incentive..

Soumya Chatterjee

Over a month-and-a-half after the state government in Karnataka introduced an incentive scheme for recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma, no such volunteer has been reimbursed the promised sum of Rs 5,000. Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar on July 15 had announced the scheme, wherein volunteers among recovered COVID-19 patients who come forward to donate plasma, will be eligible for this sum of money. The state government on July 14 had passed an order to this effect. A government circular issued to all hospitals on August 21 on plasma therapy guidelines mentions this order as ‘Annexure 1’.  Dr Namitha A Kumar, a functionary at the Open Platform for Rare Diseases who is also coordinating plasma donors at the TTK Blood Bank, said that there is a dearth of plasma donors and the government is not doing enough to address the issue.  She said, however, that the incentive programme announced by the government is unethical to begin with. “All donors who are coming forward are doing it for being part of a good cause. No private institution had any money for the purpose. But it is an unethical move as for the same reason paid blood donation was banned in the country. The paid blood donation practice had in the past led to spread of diseases and other health issues,” said Dr Namitha.  Another volunteer working with hospitals for coordinating plasma donors said that while a majority of donors come and will not want the money, many who have been at a disadvantage due to the pandemic ask for it. TNM spoke to officials in both government and private hospitals in Bengaluru — where plasma donation by recovered COVID-19 patients is underway — who echoed the same. Even some donors who had donated plasma said that they were not informed about the incentive programme at all. Dr Dheemanth, working on coordinating plasma donation at Bengaluru’s Victoria Hospital, said a total of 38 persons have donated plasma. He said the reimbursement process is yet to begin and that he would take up the issue with the Medical Superintendent.  “For now, we have noted all the donors, so we will check with our Superintendent about how to proceed with the reimbursements,” he said. A doctor working with a private hospital in Bengaluru where more than 150 recovered patients have donated plasma said that they are yet to hear back from the government. “We have written to the government. Although they have announced it long back, there has been no money sent for this purpose,” said the doctor.  According to experts, plasma therapy involves injecting plasma of recovered patients to COVID-19 patients who are at a critical stage, requiring ventilator support or artificial oxygen supply. Although at an experimental stage, the therapy has shown promising signs of recovery among patients who had reached an advanced state of the disease.  Officials at the Karnataka government's Critical Support Team for COVID-19 had recently told TNM that the success rate is close to 50% in this mode of treatment. A source in Minister Sudhakar’s office claimed that money will be transferred to the donors in the coming days using their Aadhaar details.

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HHS bids $250 million contract meant to 'defeat despair and inspire hope' on coronavirus

The proposed communications contract comes as the agency faces growing questions about its independence from the Trump White House.

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You can go out drinking in Bengaluru from September 1

Coronavirus

Bars, pubs, night clubs and micro breweries in Karnataka will be allowed to serve alcohol from September 1, as per an order issued by the state excise department.

TNM Staff

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The Karnataka government on Monday issued guidelines for reopening restaurants including pubs and bars from September 1 with 50% capacity. Bars, pubs, night clubs and micro breweries in the state, including capital Bengaluru, will be allowed to serve alcohol from September 1, as per an order issued by the state excise department. The establishments will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity and alcohol will be served only at tables, meaning the orders issued earlier allowing establishments to sell alcohol at MRP prices will no longer be in effect. Establishments with CL-4, CL-6a, CL-7, CL-7a, CL-7b, CL-9, CL-17 and CL-18 licenses will be allowed to open starting on Tuesday.  The department also introduced a slew of guidelines to be followed at restaurants, bars, hotels and other hospitality units. These included screening employees and customers for COVID-19 symptoms, maintaining physical distancing norms and encouraging take-away instead of dine-in. "Adequate personnel will be deployed at establishments to enforce social distancing norms," read the guideline. Spitting shall be strictly prohibited in establishments.  Hotels which are in containment zones will continue to remain closed till September 30 at least.  Earlier in the day, the Karnataka government confirmed the metro services will return in a reduced capacity from September 7 while schools, colleges and educational institutions will allow teachers to return in a reduced capacity from September 21. Students from classes 9 to 12 will also be allowed in the school to clarify doubts even as online education is encouraged.  Marriage gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 50 guests and funerals, last rites will be carried out with up to 20 people. The limit will be increased to 100 persons from September 21. Read: Karnataka issues order for Unlock 4.0, no word on pubs and bars yet

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SC orders MHA to ensure Vijay Mallya be brought before court on Oct 5

Legal

Earlier on Monday, the apex court has rejected Vijay Mallya’s pleas to seek a review of the order where he was held guilty.

TNM Staff

The Supreme Court on Monday asked former liquor baron and now fugitive Vijay Mallya to be present before the court in person on October 5 at 2 pm. The apex court has directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to arrange his presence whi is currently in the United Kingdom. It was earlier reported n the day that Mallya’s review petition on the apex court’s 2017 order that had held him guilty of contempt of court for transferring 40 million dollars to his children were rejected. A bench comprising Justices UU Lalit and Ashok Bhushan said, "We do not find any merits. Review petition dismissed." The apex court had reserved its verdict on the review plea on August 27 after hearing arguments from both sides. Mallya had filed the petition seeking review of the apex court's May 9, 2017 order by which he was held guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of the order. Mallya is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore, involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. In 2017, the court was hearing a petition filed by a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI), which had said that Mallya had allegedly transferred USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo, to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders. The SBI in its plea said, Mallya has disobeyed the court's order by making "vague and unclear disclosure of assets" by transferring 40 million dollars from Diageo to his children's accounts, and also by ignoring the summons to the court.   On June 19, the apex court sought an explanation from its Registry as to why the review petition filed by Mallya was not listed for the past three years. The Supreme Court has also asked the registry for the names of the officers involved in the process.   Mallya fled India in March 2016 and is reported to be in England. In January 2019, the Indian government had declared Vijay Mallya a fugitive economic offender.

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Why Bengaluru’s COVID-19 positivity, death rate are on the decline

Coronavirus

The mortality rate of Bengaluru at 1.5% is better than the Karnataka and national averages.

Soumya Chatterjee

In a positive sign for Bengaluru despite the daily increase in COVID-19 cases, both the positivity rate and mortality rate of the disease have decreased compared to what they were a month ago. Positivity rate is the percentage of patients testing positive per 100 tests while the mortality rate is the number of persons dying per 100 positive patients. In fact, the mortality rate of Bengaluru at 1.5% is better than that the state average (1.7%) and the national average (1.8%), as per the State COVID-19 War Room report of August 30 (data as of Aug 29). Though the positivity rate continues to remain higher at 15.11% while the state average is at 12% and the national average is 9%, there has been a decline of 2.23% in the positivity rate compared to July. Dr Giridhar Babu, an epidemiologist with the Public Health Foundation of India, who is part of expert committees formed by both the state and the Centre said, “Bengaluru is fairly in a good position given the number of cases are growing at a staggering pace.”  He attributed the improvement in the numbers to the increase in testing and surveillance activity, but he stressed that testing has to be improved further qualitatively and quantitatively.  “We should not worry about any numbers now as almost everything has opened up (lockdown relaxations), except for the death rate. Nobody should take credit for reporting fewer cases; rather priority should be to detect vulnerable cases early. As long as the cases grow at a pace that does not overburden the system, it should be fine. Ideally, the positivity rate should be less than 5% as recommended by the WHO,” Dr Babu said. Dr Pradeep Banandur, an epidemiologist at NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health And Neurological Sciences) who is working closely with the state health department, said that the improvement in allocating beds with time and better treatment modules coupled with the awareness of early testing has improved the situation. “People are being detected early and this means they can be treated early. More importantly, there is enough evidence now to state that maintaining oxygen saturation and provisioning oxygen instead of going for mechanical ventilation or intubation saves more lives. So I think with improved knowledge of how to treat people and an improved treatment protocol is helping us manage better than other states,” he told TNM.  Data details Cases in Bengaluru have been rising at least in excess of 2,000 cases every day for the last 10 days since August 20 with an average of around 22,000 people getting tested each day. As of August 29, as per the data, Bengaluru had 1,27,263 cumulative positive cases while the number was 53,324 on July 29. The number of total fatalities on July 29 was 1,010 and the same on August 29 are 1,939. With this, the mortality rate of COVID-19 in Bengaluru was at 2.77% while the positivity rate was at 17.34% on July 29. On August 29, the mortality rate is now at 1.52% and the positivity rate is at 15.11%. This improvement in positivity rate is observed after Bengaluru witnessed a steady increase in the number of cases due to ramping up of testing since June. The positivity rate in Bengaluru at the end of May was 1.17%, and 17.34% on June 29.  The spike can be explained with the stark difference of positivity rate in the month of June (6.91%) and July (24.15%).  Unlike the positivity rate, the mortality rate has been on a gradual decline since the end of May. On May 31, the mortality rate was 3.11%, and on July 29 it was 2.77% and is 1.52% as of August 29. Increased testing, early detection of cases and other medical interventions ensured that the mortality rate for the months of June (1.69%) and July (1.85%) did not increase significantly. 

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