Karnataka on COVID alert, key step taken to contain COVID-19 JN.1 variant after 3 deaths last week

The sub-committee will also decide on precautions to be taken and treatments required. Karnataka has recorded three COVID-19 deaths in the past one week. The newly-formed committee includes Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Cabinet Ministers Sharan Prakash Patil, Dr HC Mahadevappa and Dr MC Ssudhakar.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with his Ministers, officials and experts and appealed to people not to panic, but to be cautious and take precautionary measures like wearing face masks. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, top government officials and TAC members attended the key meet. “A cabinet sub-committee will be constituted. Who will head it and who will be its members will be decided at the cabinet meeting. The cabinet sub-committee will meet frequently, and will also meet the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC consisting of experts). There must be proper coordination between the cabinet sub-committee and the TAC,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

In the recent directive, the Chief Minister has also emphasised that it is critical to rectify “mistakes of the past” in healthcare services, be it oxygen scarcity, inadequate bed capacity, ventilator shortages, and medication insufficiencies. During a meeting with officials, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of learning from past mistakes and implementing measures to prevent their recurrence. Notably, the directive emphasized that beyond treating COVID patients, special attention must be given to individuals with comorbidities, ensuring they receive essential medical care and attention.

CM Siddaramaiah also said that there are at present 92 COVID positive cases in the State, including 80 from Bengaluru Urban district. “Out of 92 cases, 72 are under home isolation, while 20 are hospitalised. Out of these 20 hospitalised, 7 are in ICU, not only because of COVID, they have other comorbidities too.” It has been decided to do 5,000 COVID tests –1,500 Rapid Antigen Test and 3,500 RT-PCR tests — every day, the Chief Minister said. About 1,000 of them will be done in Bengaluru.

“I have suggested that, if required, a vaccination drive should be started, for those who have not taken vaccination, as it is an important preventive measure,” he added.

In his recent statement, the CM strongly advised individuals, particularly those aged 60 and above, to wear masks when in crowded environments. Additionally, he also asked the individuals who are regularly interacting with large groups to adopt mask-wearing practices as a precautionary measure against the spread of infections.

“While this suggestion remains advisory at this point, there’s no imminent plan to enforce mandatory mask-wearing,” stated Siddaramaiah. He further proposed the establishment of specialized wards in both private and government hospitals, equipped with comprehensive facilities tailored specifically for the treatment of COVID patients.

“The cabinet sub-committee will also look into purchasing necessary requirements for combating the disease, and ensure that there is no shortage. Necessary funds will be given, and there will be no shortage of funds,” he said, adding that the cabinet sub-committee will decide in the coming days on whether the vaccination will be done free of cost.