COVID-19: 6 new coronavirus cases in Karnataka; 3 deaths in 3 states

Karnataka on Sunday reported six new positive Covid-19 cases, the highest in a single day, taking the total number of cases in the state to 26, while the total number of cases surged to 388 nationwide.

Three more deaths were also reported, with the fatalities coming from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bihar, taking the toll to seven as state governments announced lockdowns to battle the pandemic.

Intensifying the fight against the virus, the Yediyurappa government also decided to shift individuals who are not residents in Bengaluru and staying in hotels into quarantine centres.

In Karnataka, fresh cases were reported from Bengaluru (3), and Chikkaballapur, Dharwad and Mangaluru, which reported one case each.

One of the cases highlighted the importance of home quarantine, which has been flouted by several people.

A 36-year-old woman, who arrived in Bengaluru from Switzerland, tested positive on the 14th day of her arrival. Sources in the health department told DH that the woman’s case had the longest incubation period, bolstering the government’s case on 14-day mandatory home quarantine for those coming from abroad. 

Patient 26, a 22-year-old male who flew into Mangaluru on Thursday, was isolated on the same day and tested positive on Sunday. The other cases include Patient 21 — a 35-year-old man who arrived in Dharwad from Australia on March 11. Health officials have identified four of his primary contacts.

Following a report by Dharwad DC Deepa Cholan, a three-kilometre area in the radius of Hosayallapur in old Dharwad, where the patient stayed, has been declared a containment area.

Patient 22 is a 64-year-old woman who had travelled from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, along with her son (Patient 19) to Gowribidanur, Chikaballapur district on March 14, via Hyderabad to Hindupur by train. Subsequently, from Hindupur, she reached Gowribidanur on March 15 by bus. Four primary contacts were identified. 

Two other Bengaluru cases involve males, both of whom travelled abroad.

A 27-year-old man from Bengaluru, who is Patient 24, returned from Germany on February 14. As many as 14 primary and 237 secondary contacts have been identified in this case.

In the third case, a 51-year-old male from Bengaluru, who is Patient 25, arrived in Bengaluru from London on March 13.

Hotel occupants to be quarantined 

The state government said that all individuals who are not residents of Bengaluru, and are staying at hotels, lodges, hostels and other domiciles, will be taken to three mass quarantine centres of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. 

The three quarantine centres are: Akash Institute of Medical Sciences, East Point and MVJ Hospital in Bengaluru.

Health Commissioner Pankaj Pandey said that the step was intended to help non-residential Bengalureans affected by the shutdown.

“Since many facilities have been closed....we, the government of Karnataka, are committed to taking such people to mass quarantine centres where they will be kept for a period of 14 days,” Pandey said.