Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health will head Karnataka’s Covid-19 task force to prepare the State for a probable third wave of infection.

Microbiologist Gagandeep Kang, Professor of Microbiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore will also be part of the team as adviser on vaccination strategy.

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday, addressing reporters along with his senior cabinet ministers, said “We imposed restrictions on April 24 and further made it more stringent from May 10. As a result of these measures Covid-19 cases are coming under control. From the peak of 50,112 cases on May 5, the cases have come down to 39,900 on May 12.” The chief minister said “Hospital infrastructure has been ramped up. Now the department has more than 24,000 oxygenated beds, 1,145 ICU beds, 2,058 ventilated beds and 1,248 beds with High Flow Nasal Cannulas. Similarly, in the Medical Education Department the number of oxygen beds has increased from 4,700 to 9,405. The number of ventilated beds from 341 to 646 and number of HFNCs from 15 to 570.”

Vaccinations

“The Centre is supplying vaccinations for the people above 45 years of age as well as for the health workers and frontline workers. So far, 1.10 crore doses have been supplied by the Centre, of which 99.5 lakh are Covishield and 10.9 lakh Covaxin.”

“Overall the State is preparing to procure 5 crore doses for the age group of 18-44 year. It has placed a purchase order for three crore doses of vaccines. We are floating Global tenders for an additional two crores.

The state government is tackling the increased oxygen requirement through a three-pronged strategy of increasing supply of liquid medical oxygen (LMO), massive scaling of localised generation capacity through oxygen generators, large-scale procurement of concentrators and cylinders.

The Centre has increased the allocation of oxygen from 965 tonnes to 1,015 tonnes., he added.

Remdesivir

Yeddiyurappa said the Centre has allocated 3.01 lakh doses of Remdesivir for the period from April 21 to May 9 against this the State has received 2.72 lakh doses. Notices have been issued to the companies who have defaulted in supplying their quota. Further, 2.74 lakh injections have been allotted for the period from May 10 to May 16.

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