PremiumKarnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday held a video conference with Anganwadi workers of different districts and asked them to brace up for the third wave of Covid-19.
"Experts have opined that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic will affect children the most. In this background, your role in protecting the children is very important," CM Yediyurappa said.
The Karnataka CM also instructed the Anganwadi workers to identify and prioritise children with malnutrition and those suffering from ill-health. He added that they should remain in constant touch with the health department and must strive to combat the pandemic.
"Anganwadi workers are providing notable service in combating Covid-19 at the grass-root level. They are playing a significant role in protecting the health of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and infants," CM Yediyurappa opined.
Appreciating their efforts in the fight against the pandemic, be it distributing nutritional food kits to beneficiaries at home, conducting house-to-house visits to create awareness, or working in the Gram Panchayat level Taskforce, the CM said, "About 85.91% of Anganwadi workers have been inoculated, and have been considered as front line warriors."
Regarding the compensation for families of those Anganwadi workers who died due to Covid-19, the CM said, "During the first wave about 20 workers and assistants had lost their lives, and the compensation amount of ₹30 lakhs each had been distributed to their families".
The Karnataka government has also announced a relief package for various categories affected due to the second wave of the pandemic. "Anganwadi workers will also get ₹2000 each," he said.
CM Yediyurappa consoled Anganwadi worker Girija, who lost her husband due to Covid-19, and advised her to take care of her health.
Meanwhile, Karnataka on Wednesday logged 10,959 new cases of Covid-19 and 192 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 27,28,248 and the death toll to 32,291.
The day also saw 20,246 discharges, continuing to outnumber the fresh cases.
Of 10,959 new cases reported today, 2,395 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 6,185 discharges and 50 deaths.
As of June 9 evening, cumulatively 27,28,248 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 32,291 deaths and 24,80,411 discharges, the Health Department said in its bulletin.
The total number of active cases in the state is 2,15,525.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 6.68%, the case fatality rate (CFR) was at 1.75%.
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