More COVID-19 testing equipment at Wenlock soon, says Min Kota Srinivas

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary has said that third COVID-19 testing equipment costing Rs 25 lakhs will be installed at the Wenlock hospital within three days.

On Friday, he held a meeting with officials from the taluks of Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia on the COVID-19 situation in the district.

“The curfew is causing people to migrate from the urban areas to the villages which may cause the infection to spread there. A task force should be set up at the village level immediately. The task force members should take preventive measures in stopping the spread of the infection,” the minister said at the meeting.

“Home care of COVID-19 patients must be prioritised along with testing of suspected cases or primary contacts at their places of residence,” he added.

“50 more ICU beds must be set up in taluk COVID-19 hospitals and COVID Care Centres to reduce the pressure on district COVID Centres,” he said.

Poojary also said that the government will bear the cost of ambulance fees and the funeral of those dying from COVID-19 and instructed the Deputy Commissioner to release funds to the tehsildars for this purpose.