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Karnataka after ramping up tests to over 30,000 samples per day, expects to clear all the test backlogs now.
Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters that now 85 labs in the State are functioning in enhanced capacities. This has helped us to clear test backlogs substantially in the last 24 to 36 hours.
“Record number of influx of travellers from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu increased our test backlog,” he added.
Till date the State has conducted 9,50,177 tests and is expected to cross the one-million (10 lakh) tests mark by tomorrow.
BBMP Commissioner transferred
Amidst sharp rise in Covid positive cases and corruption in creating Covid Care Centres in Bengaluru, the state government abruptly transferred Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner B H Anil Kumar and brought back N Manjunath Prasad to the post.
There are rumours that Anil Kumar was transferred for airing his view that the civic body lacked preparedness to tackle the sudden rise in cases and he along with Mayor M Goutham Kumar had pushed for extension of the lock-down in Bengaluru beyond declared seven days.
Another reason for abrupt transfer is that the State government faced embarrassment due to Anil Kumar’s claims before the Karnataka High Court on management of containment zones. The government recently appointed G Kumar Naik, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, to ensure the standard operating procedures (SOPs) are properly implemented in Bengaluru, especially containment zones.
Demand for hospital beds
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday convened a meeting with Private Medical College Hospitals regarding Covid management and directed them to share 50 per cent of the beds as promised.
He told private medical college hospitals to co-operate as there is a sharp rise in Covid cases in the city. “It has come to the notice of the government that some institutes are denying treatment for Covid as well as non-Covid patients.”
During the previous meeting private medical colleges had agreed upon providing around 4,500 beds, which would make total beds availability in government and private medical colleges at 6,500 beds. The Chief Minister expressed dismay over some colleges not providing the number of beds as promised and also about certain lacunae noticed by ministers during their visit.
The meeting decided to issue notice to Vaidehi Medical College for their absence.
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