BENGALURU: A day after the country’s first COVID-19 death was confirmed from Kalaburagi, the State Government on Friday ordered the closure of all universities, malls, cinema halls, pubs, night clubs and places of entertainment across the state, which witness huge gatherings, for the next one week beginning Saturday, to contain the spread of the virus.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said instructions were also issued to stop all exhibitions, conferences, fairs, summer camps, sporting events and even marriage and birthday parties for the period. “ The decision has been taken in public interest after consulting experts to prevent spreading of the virus,” the CM said.
The precautionary measures were put in place even as 46 persons who came in contact with the 76-year-old COVID-19 victim have been kept under observation in Kalaburgi in North Karnataka. Of them, four members from the victim’s family are found to be symptomatic and the test results are awaited.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on Friday with ministers and top officials from the Health and Medical Education Departments. Noted cardiac surgeon and specialist Dr Devi Shetty and several other doctors too attended the meeting. “The situation will be reviewed again after a week,” the CM said.
Colleges and universities across the state too will be closed for a week and people have been advised against travelling. Schools are already declared closed, except for students of Classes 7 to 9, who will attend school only for examinations. The SSLC examinations will be conducted as scheduled and officials at government residential schools and hostels have been directed to take utmost care.
The government has also asked IT companies to instruct their employees to work from home to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Some companies have already given that option after the first few positive cases reported in Bengaluru were from the IT sector. Now, after the suggestion from the government, more IT firms are likely to encourage their employees to work from home.
People returning from foreign trips have been told to report to the Health Department and provide information about their travel. They are also instructed to compulsorily remain in home isolation for 14 days. Private hospitals have been instructed to compulsorily report to the Health Department if they come across any person they suspect to be infected with the Coronavirus.
The government is also establishing additional laboratories for detection of the virus and a committee will be formed for coordination with private hospitals. Currently, it takes over two days to get the test reports and new laboratories will help avoid delays. The first results of the COVID-19 victim’s tests came almost two days after his death.
Meanwhile, at Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, where three overseas students were admitted, the tests of two have shown negative, while the report of the third is awaited. The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at Shivamogga has tested six samples for COVID-19 in the last one week and all samples have tested negative.
In Hassan, an individual who had recently been on a visit to Mecca and was suffering from fever, was forcibly admitted to hospital by health officials, as he was refusing to visit a hospital for tests. The virus scare has hit small and medium industries that were already suffering due to the slowdown in the economy.
The Retailers’ Association of India, in a statement, said, “Consumer welfare is the top priority for all retailers. We laud the various government bodies for doing what is needed to protect the wellbeing of the citizens. We would like to support them in the various initiatives undertaken towards the same. However, we believe that in times of such stress, we have to take examples from other countries wherein items of essential needs are allowed to be sold without interruption. Allowing unrestricted access to items of daily needs will ensure that consumers do not go into panic buying and create unnecessary pandemonium when there are enough items available in the market.”
APMC yard left with stocks
The Ugadi does not look good for the APMC yard in Yeshwantpur, feels Ramesh C Lahoti, chairman of FKCCI’s APMC Committee. “There has been a reduction in hoteliers, caterers, supermarket, online chains and retailers coming to the yard to pick up stocks,” he said.
Operators want flyer facilitation fee
The Association of Private Airport Operators has written to the Aviation Secretary seeking an alleviation package as well as permission to levy a nominal passenger facilitation charge along with air fares. An official communication by APAO pointed out that both the aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues have been adversely impacted.
Rail Wheel Factory readies facility
Close on the heels of the South Western Railway Zone putting in place quarantine wards at seven locations, the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) in Yelahanaka has put in place a 4-bed quarantine facility to facilitate admission of any suspected case.