'People with comorbidities must undergo Covid tests', says Dinesh Gundu Rao amid resurge in cases

Bengaluru: People with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and respiratory distress, including patients with respiratory and cardiac diseases, have been instructed to mandatorily undergo Covid testing, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Saturday.

Addressing the media at Bengaluru, he said that the Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met on Friday to discuss rising Covid cases in the state.

"There has been a slight increase in Covid positive cases in the state in the past week, and a total of 35 people have positive in the state, 32 of which have been reported in Bengaluru itself," he said, emphasising that there was no reason to panic.

"We have taken precautionary measures. We are also in touch with the Central Government. A total of 257 cases have been registered in the country. Apart from mild symptoms, no serious problems have been found in those who tested positive," said the minister.

The state health department has mandated that people with respiratory problems and SARI must undergo Covid tests, along with people with respiratory and cardiac diseases, where hospitals have been directed to collect samples for testing.

While there is no mask mandate for the public, he said that pregnant and breastfeeding women, besides children and people with comorbidities, are advised to wear masks in crowded places.

"It is better to maintain cleanliness and use sanitisers. There are no issues for public travel. Everyone can continue to lead a normal life," he said, noting that the TAC has advised the department to keep stocks of enough Covid testing kits to last a month. However, testing will be done only when deemed necessary, he added.

An 84-year-old man with comorbidities who tested positive for Covid a few days ago, died at a private hospital in the city, health department principal secretary Harsh Gupta confirmed to DH on Saturday. According to him, the old man's death occurred a couple of days ago but was confirmed to have been Covid positive only on Saturday.