Masala Jayaram’s associates test Covid-19 positive, struggle to get ambulances

The turning of several associates of Tuvarakere MLA Jayaram A S, into coronavirus-positive cases resulted in a frantic scramble to get them admitted into a hospital on Friday night.

The seven individuals are said to be the families of business partners of the MLA, as per the information we have, said Dr Balasundar A S, Chief Health Officer, Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), RR Nagar Zone.

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Jayaram told DH that the individuals had not been able to get ambulances to take them to the hospital. “They called me for help,” he said.

With complaints alleging that it takes nearly 24 hours to transport Covid-19 patients to hospitals, the BBMP, on Thursday, had said it would deploy a total of 100 ambulances by Friday. However, Masala Jayaram (as the MLA is commonly known) said that this appeared not to have made a difference.

“In the end, I had to speak with the BBMP Commissioner, B H Anil Kumar, at around five or six pm on Friday, to secure ambulances for them. It took some effort because the vehicles were not available,” he claimed.

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According to Dr Hemanth Kumar S R, Nodal Officer at RR Nagar Medical College and Hospital (RRMCH), where the seven individuals are currently under treatment, the ambulances brought the cases to the hospital late at night, at around midnight.

All seven as primary contacts of a family member who tested positive on June 23, said Dr Balasundar. All seven individuals are said to be asymptomatic.

“The cases range between the age of 45 to 80, out of which five are women,” Dr Kumar added.

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Meantime, the MLA denied assertions that the seven infected individuals were members of his own family. A Palike official had described the four out of the seven as being members of the MLA’s immediate family and the remaining three as being in-laws.

“They are associates of mine living in Chikpete,” the MLA said. As per the BBMP, however, the cases (from two separate households) hail from Nagarbhavi.

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Jayaram himself suspected that he had Covid-19 between June 14 and 17, when he reported feeling unwell. “After consultations with BBMP officials, he was tested for the novel coronavirus, and the results came back negative,” said N C Jagadish, Joint Commissioner, BBMP, RR Nagar Zone.

The MLA said that his negative test results had come from BGS Hospital about five days ago.

The MLA had previously courted controversy on April 10 after it was discovered that he had participated in a birthday celebration thrown in his honor.