BENGALURU: Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who visited the district general hospital in Ramanagara on Tuesday, instructed officials to increase the rate of Covid-19 testing, in order to check the spread in the district. “Get more tests done for Covid-19 and Omicron, and get results at the earliest to start treatment,” he insisted.
The district in-charge minister’s visit and insistance on more tests gains significance in the wake of the Congress party taking out its Mekedatu padayatra with much fanfare, with thousands of people in attendance.
As there was scarcity of staff at the Covid-19 referral hospital, the minister spoke to the health commissioner and instructed him to appoint adequate medical and paramedical staff at the earliest. In the referral hospital, 66 patients are undergoing treatment.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also expressed concern over the health of those taking part in the Mekedatu padayatra led by KPCC president D K Shivakumar, which reached Ramanagara on Tuesday.
The district, which was reporting an average of 20-25 cases until Monday, reported 65 cases on Tuesday, including 20 from Kanakapura, 25 from Magadi, 18 from Ramanagara and two from Channapatna taluks.
It is in accordance with the trend of a surge in cases across Karnataka.