BENGALURU: Discussions are on regarding extending the lockdown in Karnataka, but no decision has been taken yet on the matter, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Monday, as the State battles the second wave of COVID-19.
"I'm discussing it, will let you know. no decision has been taken yet," Yediyurappa told reporters in response to a question on extending the lockdown and announcing a package.
Though the state is currently under complete lockdown till May 24, several leaders, including ministers, have expressed themselves in favour of extending it.
The Karnataka government had initially announced 14 days "close down" from April 27, but subsequently imposed a complete lockdown from May 10 to May 24, as the cases continued to spike.
Revenue Minister, R Ashoka, also Vice-Chairman of Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, who has been batting for the extension of curbs, today said lockdown has been useful as daily fresh cases in Bengaluru have come down from 22,000 to 8,000 and it will be good to extend the shutdown.
Noting that because of lockdown, the number of daily cases have come down in Maharashtra and Delhi too, he said, three days before the current shutdown ends, senior ministers will meet under the leadership of the Chief Minister and take a decision.
Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani too said, it will be good if lockdown is extended for some more days.
Health Minister K Sudhakar, in response to a question about extending the restrictions, said it will be discussed at the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
Union Minister Sadananda Gowda too recently had said lockdown has to be extended if need be, as it has been yielding results, with major cities including Bengaluru witnessing decline in daily COVID positive cases.
Meanwhile, the Congress and JD(S) have urged the state government to provide relief, including financial and food, and come to the rescue of those whose livelihood has been affected by the COVID-19 induced shutdown.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy today urged the government that the lockdown, if extended, should be "pro bono", where economic and food relief to the needy is taken care of.
Meanwhile, as many as 97 people in the state contracted mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, as post-COVID complications in Karnataka, Sudhakar said on Monday.
"Till yesterday 97 people contracted this (black fungus) disease in the state," Sudhakar told a press conference after a meeting with experts on the black fungal infection.
He, however, appealed to the people not to panic as it does not spread like COVID.
"It did affect a few people in the state, which I accept. Compared to previous years, this year it is more in number," the Minister said.
Sudhakar, who is a medical professional, suspected that this disease comes from the usage of tap water.
"I appeal to the para medical staff, use only sterilised water extracted from the humidifier," Sudhakar told the doctors and paramedics.
According to him, usage of excess steroids among the diabetic patients increased their sugar level, which eventually caused black fungus.
After contracting COVID, diabetic patients will have to control their sugar level, Sudhakar said, adding, those who did not control it fell prey to black fungus.
In view of the occurrence of mucormycosis among COVID patients, Sudhakar announced notifying regional centres in the state for its treatment.
These Centres are Mysuru Medical College, Shivamogga Institute of Medical College, Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences in Kalaburagi, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences at Hubballi, Kasturba Medical College and Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru.
The state has already requested the Centre to supply 25,000 doses of Amphotericin B, an anti-fungal medication.
State Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday said no decision has been taken on cancelling the 10th class examination and the second pre-university examination.
"We have not taken any decision on cancelling the SSLC or the PUC-II exams, which were postponed earlier in view of the rising COVID cases," Kumar said in a statement.
Stating that reports in a section of the media were only speculation, he said the decision would be taken in the future and asked students not to get disturbed but focus on studies.
The government gave general promotion to the students from Class-one to Class-nine and also the first pre- university College exams in view of the growing number of COVID cases last year.
The government had conducted the SSLC and PUC-II exam last year.
Karnataka reported 38,603 new cases of COVID-19, and 476 fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 22,42,065 and the toll to 22,313, the Health department said on Monday.
The day also saw 34,635 patients getting discharged after recovery.
Bengaluru Urban accounted for 13,338 new cases.
As on May 17 evening, cumulatively 22,42,065 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 22,313 deaths and 16,16,092 discharges, a department bulletin said.
Total number of active cases in the state stood at 6,03,639.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 39.70 per cent, case fatality rate (CFR) was at 1.23 per cent.
Among 476 deaths reported on Monday, 239 are from Bengaluru Urban, Hassan (29), Ballari (17), Kalaburagi, Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada (15), Tumakuru (14), Bengaluru Rural (13), Mandya (10), followed by others.
Hassan recorded 2,324 new cases, Ballari 2,322, Mysuru 1,980, Tumakuru 1,915, Belagavi 1,748, followed by others.
Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 10,64,396, followed by Mysuru 1,14,107 and Tumakuru 83,394.
Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban tops the list with 6,90,291, followed by Mysuru 98,669 and Ballari 56,265.
A total of over 2,79,76,933 samples have been tested so far, of which 97,236 were tested on Monday alone.