As daily new Covid cases neared 33,000 in Karnataka on Saturday, State Health Secretary T K Anil Kumar issued a public notification requesting people not to visit hospitals in the next two weeks unless in an emergency in order to prevent crowding and spread of Covid.
"In pursuant to the existing Covid situation, it is hereby informed that only sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals/super specialty hospitals and autonomous institutions. All other patients with mild illness which requires outpatient care/follow up care/ elective cases including dental patients should not visit the hospitals for the next two weeks till further orders to prevent crowding and the spread of Covid-19," the notification said.
Orders are already in place to reserve 75% beds in private medical colleges and 50% beds in private hospitals for government quota Covid patients. Private hospitals and medical colleges are currently taking up only emergency surgical procedures and deferring all elective surgeries.
Meanwhile, in an another circular, the government said that persons who have given throat or nasal swabs for Covid testing, should should not socialise. The circular said legal action will be initiated under the Epidemic Diseases Act in case of violation of the norms.
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Published 15 January 2022, 16:55 IST