Bengaluru: Lockdown is not the solution to contain the coronavirus, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said, as he dismissed requests by the Bengaluru municipal corporation to extend the city-specific restrictions that end this week. He announced a slew of orders to track, test and treat Covid-19 patients, especially those above 65 years of age. "Experts have said one week is enough. There will be no further extension of the lockdown," Revenue Minister R Ashok said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Tejasvi Surya, parliamentarian from Bengaluru South, which has the highest number of Covid cases in the state capital which accounts for about 50 per cent of all cases in Karnataka. "The chief minister made it clear that the lockdown would not be extended at any cost. The limited lockdown was to catch up with backlog of cases, trace primary contacts and create medical infrastructure," he said.
Steps to make efficient use of hospital beds were among the directives the Chief Minister gave to ministers and officials in charge of the Bengaluru municipal corporation's eight zones at a meeting. "We spoke about increasing the number of ICU and oxygen beds. We will also be talking to all medical colleges for creating Covid wards; private hospitals had promised 5,000 beds but haven't given any yet," Ashok said.
The chief minister ordered "strict action" against private hospitals that refuse admission to patients. The directive comes amid increase in coronavirus infection among frontline healthcare workers, and no state support for their treatment. Stating that Karnataka was conducting more tests than recommended by the WHO, medical education minister Sudhakar said, "We conducted 23,451 tests in a single day and 9,25,477 tests in the state so far...Within next 7-10 days testing capacity will be enhanced to conduct 40,000 to 50,000 tests per day." The Chief Minister also ordered increased police deployment to check crowding.
Row over minister's remark
Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu's comment that "only God can help save us" has landed him in controversy amid attacks from the opposition parties. Karnataka has replaced Gujarat as the fourth-worst affected state in the country after Maharashtra. "Worldwide the number of coronavirus cases is increasing. All of us should be alert. Whether you are a member of the ruling party or in the opposition, rich or poor... the virus doesn't discriminate," the 48-year-old BJP leader told reporters. "The cases (in the state), I am sure will go up 100 per cent in the next two months. One can keep claiming that it's because of the government's negligence or irresponsibility of the ministers or that cases are up because of a lack of coordination among the ministers. All of these allegations are far from the truth. Only God can save us from coronavirus," he added.
Hitting out at the BS Yediyurappa government over the health minister's remarks, Congress' DK Shivakumar tweeted: "Karnataka's health minister saying "Only God can save Karnataka" reflects poorly on @BSYBJP govt's ability to handle the Covid crisis. Why do we need such a govt if they cannot tackle the pandemic? This govt's incompetency has left citizens to god's mercy. (sic)."
