The total cases reported in Karnataka include 9,847 discharges and 13,251 active cases, the health department said in its bulletin adding that among the active cases, 243 are admitted to the Intensive Care Units.

Bengaluru continues to remain the largest contributor of coronavirus cases in Karnataka.

Karnataka witnessed its biggest single-day spike in coronavirus cases with 1,925 additions and 37 related deaths, taking the case count in the state to 23,474, the health department said.

The total cases reported include 9,847 discharges and 13,251 active cases, the department said in its bulletin adding that among the active cases, 243 are admitted to the Intensive Care Units.

Bengaluru continued to remain the largest contributor of coronavirus cases in the state reporting a 1,235 cases and 16 deaths today. As on Sunday, there are 8,167 active cases in the city.

Among the districts with highest number of cases were Dakshina Kannada with 147, Ballari 90 and Vijayapura reporting 51 new cases.

A report from Mangaluru said the total number of cases in Dakshina Kannada district rose to 1,242 with 147 more people testing positive for the virus. The active cases stood at 666 while the death remained 22.

Senior Congress leader and former union minister B Janardhana Poojary tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru for treatment, his family said.

The 83-year-old leader has been asymptomatic and “there is no cause for worry,” his elder son Santhosh J Poojary said.

Bengaluru: A railway officer who had attended his grandson’s birthday party has tested positive for Corona and has been suspended since he had not taken the precautionary measure to maintain safe physical distancing at the party.

A senior technician of the Bengaluru Division of the Railways had organized the party at the Railway staff quarters a few days back. He tested positive for the virus two days after the event. Two more Railways staff who attended the party also tested positive.

Railways officer Asif Hafiz, who spoke on the matter, said that the officer had acted irresponsibly and, therefore, has been suspended from the duty.

“There are 140 houses in the quarters. Fortunately, nobody attended the birthday party. Only the relatives who came from outside Bengaluru attended. A safe distance was not maintained during the party,” Hafiz said.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar’s wife and daughter have tested positive for COVID-19, a day after his father was confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

“Test results of our family members have come. Unfortunately, my wife and daughter have tested positive for #Covid19 and are undergoing treatment,” the minister tweeted on Tuesday.

He said he and his two sons have tested negative.

Sudhakar’s father P N Keshava Reddy tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. He was admitted to the hospital with a cough and fever.

Earlier, the domestic help of the minister had tested coronavirus positive and was admitted to a hospital.

In April, Sudhakar was quarantined along with three other ministers for coming in contact with a journalist who was coronavirus positive.

Karnataka reported 249 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths on Monday taking the total number of cases in the state to 9,399 and the death toll to 142.

Bengaluru: City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has warned of initiating legal action against people who click pictures or videos of Corona patients when they are being taken to hospital.

The Commissioner took to his official twitter address the issue and added that the social media and even some of the other news media have shown pictures and videos of Corona patients being taken to hospital.

“This is creating panic among the people nearby and reducing their courage. In addition, it is the invasion of privacy,” said Rao.

“No infected person’s picture or video may be taken without the person’s permission. If the rule is found to have been violated, we will take legal action,” the Commissioner stressed.

Karnataka has reported over 9,100 cases of coronavirus with at least 137 deaths so far.

Stringent actions will be taken against those violating quarantine guidelines

With Bengaluru opening up after months of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the IT hub has seen a sudden spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases. The city, with a population of over 1 crore, was initially considered well in control of the pandemic with less than 1,000 cases. But in the last few days, there has been a sudden spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Bengaluru, with the total case count now settling around 1,300. Over 60 coronavirus-infected patients have died so far.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who had stressed on containing the deadly contagion without affecting the economic activities of the state capital, at a meeting with cabinet colleagues and officers of the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, has decided to strictly implement lockdown rules in the clusters which are reporting more cases. These include KR Market and the surrounding areas of Siddapura, VV Puram, Kalasipalya. The adjoining streets will also be sealed, they said.

The meeting also called for stringent actions and FIRs against those who violate quarantine guidelines.

Officers have been directed to cap the rates of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals to ensure that the treatment is more affordable at these private facilities.

The state has also decided to set up fever clinics in all wards of Bengaluru to ensure early detection of cases.

Officers have been directed to maintain hygiene and provide all basic amenities to those in government quarantine centres after receiving numerous complaints from those facilities.

The BBMP War Room will now have real-time information on the availability of beds in various hospitals dedicated to the treatment of coronavirus so that the infected can receive treatment as soon as possible.

Karnataka has reported over 9,100 cases of coronavirus with at least 137 deaths so far.

The four names announced by the BJP as candidates are Prathap Simha Nayak, MTB Nagaraj, R Shankar and Sunil Valyapure.

Bengaluru: BS Yeddyurappa became Chief Minister after rebel MLAs brought down the Congress-JDS government.

Legislators who helped the BJP topple Karnataka’s Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) coalition government last year have been rewarded by the party while picking candidates for the elections to seven seats of the state legislative council due on June 29.

The four names announced by the BJP as candidates are Prathap Simha Nayak, MTB Nagaraj, R Shankar and Sunil Valyapure.

MTB Nagaraj, formerly with the Congress, is an enormously wealthy businessman who contested and lost bypolls to the Hoskote seat he had held before his disqualification as MLA. He came to national attention last June when he promised Congress leaders that he would stay loyal to the party – and then within hours hopped onto a chartered flight that took him to join other rebel MLAs in Mumbai.

R Shankar was an independent who went back and forth in his loyalties, finally withdrawing his support from the coalition government soon after it has made him a minister. He later joined the BJP.

Another prominent politician who switched loyalties to the BJP, former Janata Dal Secular state president, H Vishwanath, was not chosen as a candidate.

The Congress has chosen B K Hariprasad and Naseer Ahmed as candidates.

Earlier this February, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had allotted ministerial posts to 10 former Congress and JDS MLAs, largely fulfilling his government’s promise of rewarding those who had helped the BJP grapple its way back to power in the state.

Last November, the Supreme Court had confirmed the disqualification of 17 Karnataka MLAs whose revolt triggered the collapse of the Janata Dal Secular-Congress government and the subsequent takeover by the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP. But the court cancelled the Speaker’s decision to bar the rebel MLAs from contesting polls till 2023.

“There are allegations against the officers of receiving illegal gratification to cover up the fraud,” a source said. 

BENGALURU: The CBI has sought permission from the State government to prosecute IAS officer and former Bengaluru Urban DC BM Vijayshankar, former sub-divisional officer (Bengaluru North) LC Nagaraj and former village accountant N Manjunath to probe the allegations of bribery against them in the Rs 4,000-crore IMA scam, said official sources.

Vijayshankar and Nagaraj were nominated as the competent authority under the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act to probe the complaints against the IMA group. “There are allegations against the officers of receiving illegal gratification to cover up the fraud,” a source said. 

The lesson will cover the history of such diseases, their impact on society and the necessity of wearing masks, maintaining social distance, washing hands etc.

KALABURAGI: The state government is planning to introduce a lesson on Covid-19 for students for the present academic year to spread awareness, said Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar in an exclusive interview with TNIE. The lesson will cover the history of such diseases, their impact on society and the necessity of wearing masks, maintaining social distance, washing hands etc.

He said, “As books are already printed, a separate handbook will be printed on Covid-19 in consultation with experts. Tests will also be conducted on the subject.” He said the government has not yet taken a decision on the exact date for starting classes for the current academic year. From Monday, meetings will be held to find out opinions of parents, teachers and other stakeholders. Later, the proposal okayed by the cabinet will be sent to the Union government, he said. 

The academic year is bound to change this year as there is no clarity on the starting of schools. Teachers have already agreed to conduct classes in the winter season and during holidays too, he said. Syllabus too will be reduced, he added. “The government has not taken any decision on online classes. It will also take a decision on online classes on Monday after consulting experts.

We are not in favour of teaching LKG, UKG and primary children online as it is the age of learning in a pleasant atmosphere with friends,” he said.  Migrant students, who have returned from Maharashtra will also be given admission in schools after getting all details from that state, he said.

The news has set off a scare among the hundreds of officials and staffers working in BBMP in the various departments and control room as well.

By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A male officer from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. Officials said that he came in contact with Imran Pasha, JDS corporator, who tested positive for the virus on May 29. 

The patient is a KAS officer working as assistant commissioner in the Education department, located in BBMP headquarters at Hudson circle. 

The office premises, ground floor and first floor has been fully sanitized and visiting hours for the public has been completely restricted. 

The news has set off a scare among the hundreds of officials and staffers working in BBMP in the various departments and control room as well.

Corporator Pasha tested positive from the Padarayanapura containment zone which has seen 67 cases totally with 25 active cases currently. On Thursday, BBMP and health department conducted a swab test for around 50-60 people including health staff, health inspectors, ANMs and ASHA workers who are working in Padarayanapura area.

POWER RESTORATION IN PARTS OF CITY MAY TAKE FEW MORE DAYS

Bengaluru: Heavy rains in parts of the city have caused destruction over the last few days in the state’s capital and reports of disruption of power supply have come from various parts of the city.

The city has witnessed heavy rain over the last 4-5 days causing severe inconveniences to the people of the city including disruption of power supply.

According to BESCOM however, the heavy rains have resulted in falling of over over 600 electricity poles and over 1100 trees across the city.

KR Puram, Yeshwanthpur, Whitefield, Kadugodi, HSR Layout, Koramangala, AECS Layout, Malleshwaram, Austin Town, KHB Colony, Basaveshwar Nagar, Jayanagar, JP Nagar have been hit badly by the rain and reports of power cut in these localities have come to the forth.

Reports further added that due to the COVID lockdown the laborers have returned to their natives and that has slowed down the repair and restoration work. It is estimated that the restoration of power in some of the places in the city might take a few more days.