Medical Education

Karnataka

Kempegowda International Airport

Advisory

Health Department

Family Welfare

Government of India

Theminister Dr Sudhakar K on Thursday said that there has been no positive cases intill date.There are three patients admitted in the Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Chest Diseases. One is an Iranian, one is from Japan and one from Saudi Arabia. "These three patients are admitted because they are not positive. They have symptoms of cough and fever and we have isolated them. The Iranian national is fit and fine but the Central Government has given us direction to keep the patient until March 10 and observe him. They have also asked us to conduct another test while we are in the process of discharging him and only then do the final discharge. The other two are stable, but are in observation."There is a patient admitted in Udupi and one in Bidar. These two patients are also symptomatic and are being observed but are not positive.Updating about current status, he said, "State is now screening all International passengers inas well as in the Mangalore Airport.There has been an advisory released to IT and BT sector for COVID-19 precautions. There has been meetings with the private sector hospitals for upsetting them on recent development on COVID-19 and we are seeking their active participation and help."He also said that the mask is recommended only to those who are having flu like symptoms or those who are caring for such persons in close contact.Minister also asked all pharmaceutical companies to not raise the price of masks. Sudhakar said, "We request the media not to report anything new till 6pm. Theand Medical Education department will give accurate information on every day cases at 6pm. Without any confirmation people are getting panicked. Let us all work towards not giving room for those kinds of things to happen in the State."Sudhakar said, "We have already informed the Cyber Police to take action on people who are spreading rumors on public platforms about the COVID and take strict action against them. This also applies to the media channels as well."Since there have been several reports about the non-availability of masks in the Janaushadhi Kendras, the government said it will reach out to the Central Government on the same. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner of Department of Health andsaid, "We are procuring 4lakh masks and we are already in talks with vendors. With respect to the Kendras we will speak to the Central Government and arrange the same. Again we stress upon a point that not everyone requires a mask."Till date, 695 persons have been identified for observation in Karnataka . Of them 225 persons have completed 28 days of observation and 461 persons are continuing under home quarantine.These include persons who have travelled to COVID-19 affected countries and contacts of COVID-19 positive cases.As on today, 05 persons are admitted in selected isolation Hospital. Till date 321 samples of symptomatic persons are sent for testing and 273 samples are reported as Negative.Till date 68,717 passengers have been screened in Karnataka. The airport wise details are as follows.1. KIA Airport Bengaluru – 46,569 passengers (4276 Screened yesterday)2. Mangalore International airport – 22,139 passengers. (290 Screened yesterday)Also, 5103 passengers have been screened at Mangalore and Karwar seaports.104 Arogya Sahayavani (call center) has reserved lines for receiving calls for COVID-19.Till date 8010 calls have been received for whom necessary guidance has been provided.- State is now screening all international passengers.- Advisory released to IT/BT sector for COVID-19 precautions- Meeting with Private Sector Hospitals held for updating them on recent developments on COVID-19 and seeking their active participation and help.- Protocol for Lab Testing of COVID-19- As per guidelines from MoHFW,, lab testing for COVID-19 will be done for only those persons who have symptoms (Cough, cold, running nose or difficulty in breathing) and having travel history to any of COVID-19 affected countries during last 14 days or those who have had contact with COVID-19 positive persons.