G. Jagadeesha, Deputy Commissioner, said on Saturday that 8,010 natives of Udupi district who had returned from other States were presently staying in quarantine centres in the district.
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Jagadeesha said that of the 8,010 persons, 7,226 had returned from Maharashtra alone. So far, the throat swabs of 3,617 persons had been taken and sent for testing for COVID-19. The reports of 1,208 persons had been received, while the reports of 2,409 persons were pending.
Since the testing labs were facing heavy pressure with every passing day, the throat swabs were being sent to different labs, including Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal; Yenepoya, Mangaluru; KMC, Mangaluru; SIMS, Shivamogga; and Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru, for testing.
Nearly 10% to 15% returning from Mumbai and Dubai, and under quarantine, were testing positive for COVID-19. So far, 47 persons had tested positive for COVID-19 in the district. Of them, one person had died due to cardiac arrest.
Since the number of COVID-19 cases were expected to increase sharply in the district in the coming days, in addition to the designated COVID-19 hospital – Dr. T.M.A. Pai Hospital here, the administration would be starting new COVID-19 blocks at Karkala and Kundapur.
A COVID-19 block of 125 beds had already started functioning on the premises of Taluk Government Hospital in Kundapur, while a separate 75-bed COVID-19 block would come up at the Taluk Government Hospital in Karkala. Two more COVID-19 blocks would come up in the district – SDM College of Ayurveda (100 beds) in Udupi, and Bhuvanendra Hostel (56 beds) in Karkala.
These COVID-19 blocks would have 24x7 doctors and nurses. In addition to government doctors, private doctors too had been appointed for these blocks under the Epidemic Act. Additional nurses were being appointed through outsourcing, he said.
“Natives of Udupi district in other States should stay where they are till May 31 as the testing of people who had already returned was yet to be completed. The quarantine centres should become free to accommodate more returnees,” Mr. Jagadeesha said.
