Karnataka Covid-19 wrap: Highest TPR in a fortnight, restrictions for entry into Chamundi hills

Meanwhile, the Mysuru Rail Museum will reopen to the public from Wednesday (July 7) and visitors will be urged to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Karnataka Tuesday reported the highest test positivity rate (TPR) of Covid-19 infections in the last fortnight. The TPR was 2.65 percent. The last time, a higher TPR was reported was on June 22 when it was 2.87 percent. The overall case fatality rate (CFR) in the state stood at 2.96 percent.

The state reported 3,104 new cases and 92 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 28.59 lakh and the toll to 35,526. The day also saw 4,992 recoveries, once again higher than fresh cases.

Out of the 3,104 new cases, 715 were from Bengaluru Urban followed by Mysuru (389), Hassan (270), Dakshina Kannada (216), and others. The number of active cases in Karnataka is 40,016. Out of the 92 deaths, 15 were from Bengaluru Urban followed by Dakshina Kannada (13), Mysuru (8), Dharwad, and Kolar (7), and others.

Plea to increase vaccine supply to state

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar met his counterpart at the Centre Harsh Vardhan in Delhi Tuesday to demand an increased supply of vaccine doses to the state. The state has administered nearly 2.4 crore doses of the vaccines so far, the highest among all south Indian states, the minister said.

In a representation to the Centre, Sudhakar said Karnataka has about 13,000 vaccination centres with a demonstrated capacity to administer 10 lakh doses per day. “I, therefore, request Government of India to kindly increase the supply further so that the state can facilitate vaccination of every willing and eligible citizen at the earliest,” the minister said in the letter.

Sudhakar also briefed Vardhan about the manner in which the state has managed to minimise vaccine wastage. Districts were told to carefully prepare a micro plan and increase capacity-building of the field staff. “As a result of this, eight districts in the state have achieved negative wastage,” he said.

Sudhakar is on a two-day visit to the national capital. Besides Vardhan, he also called on several other central ministers, including Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, and Hardeep Singh Puri, and discussed various issues concerning the state.

Restrictions for entry into Chamundi hills

The Mysuru district administration introduced restrictions for entry of devotees and other visitors to the popular Chamundi hills and adjoining temples in the wake of the Ashada season.

According to Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Gautham, the curbs were introduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19. He said visitors would not be allowed to access the Chamundi hills on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and general holidays during the auspicious season. Orders have also been issued prohibiting entry to the Chamundeshwari Temple located on the hills and Jwalatripura Sundari Temple near its foothills on July 9 (Ashada Amavasya), July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, and August 9 (Bheemana Amavasya).

There will also be a ban on entry to the hills post 6 pm on all days of the week. “Residents of Chamundi Hills should carry their identity cards,” he said.

The Executive Officer of the Chamundeshwari temple had requested the district authorities to impose restrictions as it would be difficult for them to prevent crowds and maintain social distancing. “The temple authorities expressed concern after sharing their estimates that they were expecting between 60,000 and 100,000 devotees on each Ashada Friday to visit the pilgrimage,” a senior official said. However, religious rituals and customs are allowed within the temple premises.

Mysuru rail museum to allow visitors

The Mysuru Rail Museum will reopen to the public from Wednesday (July 7), said Rahul Agarwal, Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of South Western Railway Mysuru Tuesday. Visitors will be urged to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour. The rail museum will be open from 10 am to 5.30 pm barring Tuesdays (regular closed holiday).

Covid-19 Paediatric ICU in IGICH, Bengaluru inaugurated

Deputy CM C N Ashwathnarayan Tuesday inaugurated the expanded Paediatric ICU (PICU) with a capacity of 100 beds at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Bengaluru.

The facility set up using CSR funding by Cognizant Foundation to support covid-19 treatment was completed at a cost of Rs 1.32 crores. The minister said the expanded PICU would facilitate life-saving medical care to infants and children infected by Covid-19 and is equipped with PICU cots, oxygenated beds, ventilators, high-flow nasal cannula machines, and multi-para monitors.

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