As of today, 7734 cases have been reported in Karnataka. This includes 4804 discharges.
With eight more fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll due to the coronavirus pandemic in Karnataka surpassed the 100-mark on Thursday.
According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, five of these fatalities were recorded in Bengaluru while one each was from Shivamogga, Ballari, and Bidar districts.
With this, the fatality rate in Bengaluru has witnessed a further hike, as the city has confirmed 43 deaths linked to the pandemic so far. While the fatality rate for Karnataka as a whole is at 1.32 per cent, it is 5.20 per cent in Bengaluru.
“As of today, 7734 cases have been reported in Karnataka. This includes 4804 discharges. Today, 204 new positive cases have been reported and 348 people have been discharged,” Karnataka Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey confirmed.
#COVID19 Karnataka June 17 update: 204 new #coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 348 more people recovered from the infection as total recoveries rise to 4804. Total cases: 7734. Active cases: 2824 (72 in ICU). @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/KEaX07ciHu
— Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) June 17, 2020
5.95 lakh students to appear for PU exam tomorrow
The only remaining second-year Pre-University (PU) board exam (English) in Karnataka will be held tomorrow, as the government tries to ensure safety of students and teachers in times of the coronavirus pandemic.
The first State-level exam since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was announced, it is considered important for the government in the wake of SSLC exams scheduled to begin on June 25. As many as 5.95 lakh students will appear for the exam in 1,016 exam centres across Karnataka on Thursday.
The English paper of the PUC annual examination was scheduled to be held on March 23.
SC dismisses petition challenging SSLC exams
The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging Karnataka SSLC exams scheduled to be held from June 25, in the view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The order was passed after the SLP was listed for hearing before Justice L Nageswara Rao, Justice Krishna Murari and Justice S Ravindra Bhat.
“Exams will be held as planned from June 25 to July 4. All preparations are already in place,” officials from the Primary and Secondary Education Department said.
KSRTC begins operations to Andhra Pradesh
Beginning inter-state operations for the first time since lockdown began in Karnataka, KSRTC will operate as many as 48 buses to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh today.
“While the first bus left at 5 am in the morning, services are operated to major destinations including Ananthpur, Chittor, Tirupati, Kadri, Kalyandurga, Rayadurga, Manthralaya, Nellore, Vijayawada, etc.,” KSRTC said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients don’t need hospitalisation: Medical Education Minister
Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar has clarified that asymptomatic coronavirus-positive patients will no longer be admitted to designated hospitals for treatment in the state.
‘Instead, they will be admitted to Covid Care Centres, where their health situation will be monitored and treatment will be provided,’ Sudhakar explained.
The Minister added that the decision was taken to ensure the burden on hospitals is reduced, in the wake of the sudden spike in the number of new cases in Karnataka in the last fortnight.
Karnataka to begin random testing
In the wake of a sudden spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the state, the Health Department Wednesday decided to begin random testing for essential workers and slum dwellers.
According to an order issued by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (H&FW), the government will now begin random testing using RT-PCR pooled sample technique in people including slum-dwellers, vendors/bill collectors in malls, supermarkets, markets and footpaths, and delivery boys of food chains and couriers.
“The Commissioner, BBMP and Deputy Commissioners in consultation with the local expert committee will identify persons and locations from which random samples are to be collected,” Akhtar directed.
In a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa claimed that the State’s present healthcare infrastructure was capable of treating one lakh Covid-19 patients. “This will be ramped up to treat two lakh infected persons at the same time,” Yediyurappa said.
Further apprising the PM on the pandemic in the state, the CM said that 673 fever clinics have been established as a precautionary measure to avoid the possibility of further spread of the novel coronavirus in hospitals and clinics.
“Out of the 1.68 crores families in the State, a survey of 1.5 crores families has been conducted and information regarding vulnerable has been documented. This survey has helped to take precautionary measures and also to take special care about such persons,” Yediyurappa said apprising the PM of various measures taken in the state to combat the pandemic.
According to statistics shared by the BBMP COVID-19 war room, 102 cases confirmed in the last 10 days were linked to ILI while the source of transmission of 22 other cases was found to be SARI.
However, CM Yediyurappa claimed that the state has robust surveillance programmes in place to track ILIs and SARIs. “Data on these cases is being collected daily from private medical establishments and also pharmacies,” he said. Further, Yediyurappa added that the state is on the course to mandate all private healthcare establishments to compulsorily reserve a portion of their facilities exclusively for the treatment of COVID-19.
“Tele-ICU facility has been created to connect best doctors available in Bengaluru with the doctors treating COVID patients elsewhere,” he explained.
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