Ex-MLC Puttanna contracts virus; infections swell in districts

Former Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Puttanna on Saturday became the second high-profile politician from the state to contract novel coronavirus. On Thursday, Mangalore North MLA Y Bharath Shetty had tested positive for Covid-19.

Puttanna, whose term ended on June 21, 2020, took to Facebook to confirm that he has tested positive for the virus.

“I had fever and hence got tested for Covid-19 on Thursday. My report came back positive on Friday. I am undergoing treatment at a hospital. With God’s grace and your wishes, I am confident that I will recover soon...,” Puttanna, wrote on his Facebook page.

Magadi MLA A Manjunath can breathe easy as his throat swab sample has returned negative for Covid-19. He went into self-quarantine three days back after his personal assistant tested positive.

Meanwhile, Ballari continued to remain the worst-hit district after Bengaluru Urban.

The district reported 50 fresh infections in the last 24 hours. Saturday’s cases took the Ballari’s Covid tally to 1,168. Of which, the Toranagallu-based Jindal steel plant (JSW) cluster alone has accounted for more than 400 cases.

A health department staff was among those tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.

Virus hits VIMS staff

The designated Covid hospital, Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), was sanitised on Saturday after as many as 19 medical and health staff, including doctors, staff nurse, lab technicians and PG medical students, tested positive for the virus in the last four days.
More than 20 VIMS staff have been placed under quarantine.

Dakshina Kannada saw yet another spike in infections with 75 cases on Saturday.

Among the new cases are a newborn (10-day-old) and an 86-year-old man. A total of 29 people with influenza-like illness, 11 foreign returnees, six SARI patients and 24 contacts of the Covid-19 patients among others have tested positive for the virus, Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Roopesh told reporters.

Covid warriors face heat

The number of corona warriors catching the infection is increasing with each passing day.

A doctor with the community healthcare centre (CHC) at Nidagundi in Vijayapura tested positive for the virus on Saturday. Tahsildar Shivalinga Prabhu has ordered to seal down the CHC.

Basavana Bagewadi and Kudgi police stations in the district were sealed after a cop each tested positive for Covid-19. The policemen were deputed for Covid-19 duty at the containment zone and the designated hospital, SP Anupam Agarwal told reporters.

Five civic workers of KR Pet TMC were among the 35 fresh infections reported from Mandya district on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the death of a 32-year-old man, a bakery owner in Holenarasipura has sparked concern among the Hassan district administration.

The baker was shifted to the government hospital after he collapsed at his house on Friday night. He died a while later and tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. A policeman from Channarayapatna, and two KSRTC conductors from Hassan and Arasikere depots also tested positive for Covid-19.

On Saturday, as many as 19 districts reported infections in double digits with 14 of them recording more than 25 cases.