MANGALURU: The Covid-19 spike continued in
Dakshina Kannada with the district reporting 256 fresh cases on Friday, the highest single-day spike of the year.
As per the bulletin issued by the
state health department, while Dakshina Kannada reported 37,562 cases of Covid-19 so far, at present, there are 1,414 active cases in the district.
District minister
Kota Shrinivas Poojari, who tested positive for the virus on April 10, held a video conference with officials on Friday. The minister directed the health department to increase the number of tests in the district. “Give more emphasis for testing, tracking and treatment. Conduct tests on primary and secondary contacts of the positive cases,” he said from Adarsha Hospital in Udupi.
“The number of cases in Dakshina Kannada is increasing rapidly. Increasing cases indicate the arrival of a second wave of infection in the district. Hence, all precautions need to be taken to prevent the spread of the disease. All commercial establishments, including shopping malls, petrol bunks and other business places, should ensure that people follow covid-appropriate behaviour in their premises. Night curfew should be enforced strictly, and Covid-19 negative certificates should be made mandatory for those entering from
Kerala,” he said.
The minister directed deputy commissioner
K V Rajendra to ensure sufficient number of beds, ventilators and oxygen in all hospitals in the district. The district has 4,978 beds in government and private hospitals. To make beds available for needy patients, the district administration should appoint a nodal officer. The government will supply sufficient quantities of remdesivir,
PPE kits, masks and testing kits, he said, and insisted that more emphasis should be given for vaccination of all people above 45.