Inter-state travellers causing COVID-19 spurt in Bengaluru: Govt

With the city witnessing a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in the past few days, the Karnataka government held inter-state travellers responsible for the spurt in infections. saying those from hot spot states like Maharashtra could have brought the infection.

State Minister for Medical Education K. Sudhakar, in-charge of Karnataka vis-a-vis COVID-19 management, said that the spurt in cases was bound to happen, but the government’s “vigilant approach” has slowed down the spread of the virus by two months in this city.

According to Sudhakar, when the lockdown was eased, people from various parts of the country, including high prevalence states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, came to Karnataka.

“As you know, Bengaluru is a cosmopolitan city. So from every nook and corner people came here. When they came they were not mindful of what they were supposed to do (health precautions) and they spread the infection,” he charged.

The state capital has so far reported 29,621 positive cases, including 6,540 discharges and 631 deaths.

“I am not washing away the government’s role. The government can do every bit to contain, to treat them, but citizens should cooperate. Society should actively come
forward in controlling this pandemic,” he pointed out.

The minister ruled out community spread of the disease in Bengaluru though the city is witnessing a massive scale-up in cases. “If that was the case (community spread), it would not have been in thousands, it would have been in lakhs,” Sudhakar said.

He maintained that he cannot say that there was a community spread unless there was proper research.

The spread is still in the first and second levels, and “the third level of the community spread can be prevented with government’s proactiveness and mindful conduct of the
citizens,” he added.

Speaking about the measures taken by the government, Sudhakar said 8,134 local polling booth level task force committees have been constituted, which will play an important
role along with the officers of various agencies.

He added that the administration was trying to prevent its spread at the micro level, even as testing of samples has been ramped.

While the government has clamped a lockdown till July 22 to curb the spread of the virus, it will take up various key measures like door-to-door survey, even as citizens venturing out during this time without valid reason is a strict no-no.

By strictly implementing the curbs, the government hopes to break the virus chain. To a question, the minister ruled out any shortage of life saving drugs related to coronavirus treatment. “There is no such shortage. We have enough and more. We have ordered more. Absolutely there is no dearth of medicines,” he added.

Recently Health Minister B. Sriramulu stirred up controversy saying that “only God can save the state,” while replying to opposition’s charges that accused the government of failing to control the coronavirus spread. They accused the lack of coordination and differences between ministers, mainly between Sriramulu and Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar as the reason.