Sudhakar rules out community spread in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Monday ruled out the possibility of community spread in the state and said an expert committee is undertaking a study on it.

“There is a larger spread in containment zones. We accept that reality, but that cannot be termed as community spread. We have already formed an expert committee to study about it. Once their report comes, I can say something,” he said. Speaking to reporters here, he noted that Maharashtra, which has four times more cases than Karnataka were saying there was no community spread in that state.

The Central government and Indian Council of Medical Research had also said that the country has not reached the community spread stage, the minister said. As of July 20 evening, cumulatively 67,420 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 1,403 deaths and 23,795 discharges.

Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 33,229 infections. Sudhakar, who attended the meeting chaired by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the CM would hold review meetings with Ministers, MLAs and officials of all eight zones in the city separately on Wednesday and Thursday.

Amid the spike in COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa on July 9 had decided to appoint Ministers as in- charge for each zone in the city, aimed at effectively managing the pandemic. “Booth level committees have been asked to increase the pace of door-to-door survey for early detection of ILI, SARI and vulnerable persons and get them tested,” Sudhakar said.

Stating that the meeting did not discuss the extension of lockdown in Bengaluru, the Minister said this meant it would not be extended, as announced by the Chief Minister already. With the end of lockdown on Wednesday morning, people can resume their daily activities, but all necessary precautionary measure need to be followed, he said.

“By tomorrow evening, all the details will be shared after discussion with the Chief Minister,” he said. Bengaluru urban and rural areas are currently under “complete lockdown” since 8 pm of July 14 and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22, aimed at controlling the spike in COVID cases.

The Chief Minister on Friday had said lockdown was not the solution for controlling COVID-19 and made it clear that there was no proposal before the government to extend it. Sudhakar said the National Health Mission (NHM) Doctors’ salary would be hiked to Rs 45,000 per month and the state government will bear the cost, adding that ASHA workers salary would also be hiked soon from the current Rs 6,000.