Karnataka Covid lockdown news live: False negative results causing hurdles in Karnataka villages

The total number of Covid-19 tests conducted in India have surpassed the entire population of the United States of America, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Thursday. "Did anyone notice that India's Covid testing numbers have surpassed the entire population of the USA?" he asked in a tweet. "A total of 37 crore tests have been carried out till now, of which 13 crore are in the last 3 months alone!" Sudhakar said. According to Union Health Ministry data, the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of Covid-19 in the country touched 37,21,98,253.

In the fight against Covid-19, the ISHA Foundation led by Sadhguru has launched several interventions in nine districts of the state to support doctors, police, patients and nomadic families. The foundation is involved in distributing snacks and beverages to the medical fraternity and doctors serving in 48 hospitals across the state. From Covid Care Centre in remote Santhemarahalli in Chamarajanagar district to six hospitals in Chikkamagaluru district including those located in remote areas like Koppa, NR Pura, Mudigere, district hospital in Mysuru, 26 government hospitals in Bengaluru are covered by Isha Foundation volunteers.

Many key questions remain unanswered ahead of the 2021-22 academic year. One of the worst affected sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic, is the education sector. For the last one year, most of the academic activities in schools have been affected due to the pandemic. Even in the 2021-22 academic year, parents and students are facing a lot of confusion, even before the start of academic activities. Parents are alleging that confusion regarding promoting the students to the next class, fee structure, and transfer from one school to another, are causing them a headache. Meanwhile, the department of public instruction (DPI) authorities informed that last year’s 30% fee concession order is applicable for the new academic year as well. As per the academic calendar of 2021-22, announced by the DPI, schools are allowed to start the admission process from June 15. The academic activities will start from July 1.

Left with little work and income since the first Covid wave and reeling under mounting debt, Siddalingeshwara Horkeri, a powerloom weaver, killed himself in April, days before the lockdown in the second wave was announced. His three children, aged 15, 14 and 12, now hawk vegetables and flowers to put together at least a meal a day for themselves and their mother. Siddalingeshwara’s brother Gurusiddappa says his brother had run up a debt of Rs 6 lakh and without sustained work, couldn’t pay it back. “This is the story of our entire community. I’m a weaver too and am forced to set my children to work too because my earnings are not enough,” he says.

The state health department has started putting together a plan for a possible Covid-19 third wave. As health experts have categorically warned that children would be affected by the third wave more than adults, the health department has started the process to procure life saving drugs for kids. Health and Family Welfare state commissioner Dr K V Trilok Chandra said the department has decided to procure Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) drug worth more than Rs 10 crores for emergency use among children.

The second wave of Covid-19 may have been brutal in its ferocity, but many an unlikely hero has emerged in these testing times, citizens among us who have raised their hand to lend selfless service to those in need. From providing financial aid to daily wage labourers who have lost their livelihood to providing food to people isolated at home or those in localities that have been sealed down, many Good Samaritans have emerged, lighting hope in the lives of those who have been through a rough patch. Activists and members of political parties, NGOs and other volunteers have been busy in the past month or so, distributing medicines, food kits, vaporisers to Covid-19 patients quarantined at home. Functionaries of political parties have also launched ambulance services and providing other services in their personal capacity.

With Bihar revising its figures and putting the total number of fatalities caused by COVID-19 at 9,429, India reported its highest single-day spike of 6,148 deaths, pushing the toll to 3,59,676, while 94,052 new cases took the tally to 2,91,83,121, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Thursday. The active cases have reduced to 11,67,952 comprising 4 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.77 per cent, it said. A net decline of 63,463 cases has been recorded in the total number of COVID-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Suhrt Foundation, launched recently by Sachin Tantry, a Bengalurubased public policy professional, has provided ration kits to about 100 archakas (priests) and others who work in religious establishments. By spreading the word on how the lockdown has hit archakas, Tantry raised Rs 1.3 lakh in three days. Most donations came from friends and family. Tantry said, “There are many people out there helping daily-wage labourers, auto drivers and others whose livelihoods have been snuffed out. archakas and others working in religious establishments have been ignored.”

Following multiple complaints about overcharging by private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment, the Bengaluru Urban district administration sought details of costs incurred by patients admitted in the private quota. It wrote about it to a few private hospitals on Wednesday. Hospitals are mandated to stick to the government’s price cap, which varies from Rs 10,000 per day for a general bed to Rs 25,000 per day in ICU with ventilator. Within three days, hospitals must furnish details of bills for treatment of privately admitted Covid patients from April 1, 2021 till date.

Maintaining the trend, recoveries outnumbered new Covid cases in Karnataka, with 20,246 patients discharged and 10,959 positive cases in a day, said the state health bulletin on Wednesday. "With 20,246 patients discharged during the day, 24,80,411 recovered, while the state's Covid tally rose to 27,28,248, including 2,15,525 active cases, with 10,959 new cases registered on Tuesday," said the bulletin. As epicentre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru reported 2,395 fresh cases on Tuesday, taking its Covid tally to 11,89,541, including 98,125 active cases, while recoveries rose to 10,76,247 with 6,185 patients discharged in the last 24 hours.

Police on Tuesday registered a criminal case against the managing director of Comfort Hospital, Kaggadasapura, near Byappanahalli, Bengaluru for allegedly overcharging Covid-19 patients and failing to refund excess money collected as directed by BBMP officials. Dr Jacqueline, MD of the hospital, and others were booked under sections of the Disaster Management Act and IPC on a complaint filed by Dr Shivegouda V, BBMP health officer. The complainant said a team of officials from BBMP visited the hospital on May 26 and found that the hospital was charging Covid patients much higher than rates fixed by the state government. Dr Shivegouda said Dr Jacqueline is now absconding. Byappanahalli police said BBMP claimed it had found evidence that the hospital had overcharged over 100 patients and estimated the excess amount collected at Rs 75 lakh.

Major shopping hubs in the city may not resume business after the government unlocks next week since road work for the Smart City project is under way in and around these areas. In all, 38 roads, including Commercial Street, Brigade Road, Kamaraj Road, Dickenson Road, Infantry Road, Avenue Road and part of BVK Iyengar Road, were dug up in December for gentrification, but the slow progress has left traders in the lurch.

The increase in the number of cases in rural areas is a matter of concern, admitted CN Ashwath Narayana, deputy CM and head of the Covid task force. “We have mandated at taskforce meetings that no Covid patient in rural areas should be allowed to isolate at home. They must either be taken to Covid care centres or hospitals based on requirement. It’s a must to curb the spread,” said Narayana.

More Covid cases were reported from rural areas than urban in 22 districts of the state between May 25 and June 8, accounting for over 50% to 85% of total cases. The highest rural penetration of the virus was seen in Hassan where more than 10,100 cases were reported in villages against 3,368 in urban pockets, according to state Covid war room data. In Tumakuru, 7,876 cases were reported from rural areas, compared to 2,214 in urban areas.

Malls, cinema halls, gyms and swimming pools will continue to remain shut and existing restrictions on marriages, funerals and public gatherings are likely to continue.