The throat swab samples of four persons suspected to have COVID-19, including two who were in close contact with the 76-year-old man who died on March 12, have been sent to Bengaluru for testing, Deputy Commissioner B. Sharat said on Monday.
The samples are of one person each from Chittapur and Chincholi taluks, who had a travel history to foreign countries, and two persons who were in direct contact with the deceased. They have been kept in the isolation ward, Mr. Sharat said, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi.
Besides the 71 persons who were in direct contact with the country’s first COVID-19 fatality, 238 more persons who were in contact with them were brought under observation in the city on Monday. Around 61 persons who had travelled to various countries also remain under home isolation. In total, 370 persons are under public health monitoring. Of the 370 persons, eight have been admitted to the isolation ward, he added. “Five isolation wards have been established at each taluk centre in the district. We have activated 50 isolation wards at ESIC hospital and 12 wards at Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), besides a 200-bed quarantine ward at ESIC Hospital,” Mr. Sharat said.
Helpline
The Deputy Commissioner also urged the public to call at the 24-hour helpline number (08472-278604/278677) if they sense any symptoms or suspected cases with travel history. The district lockdown will be in force for one week. “However, we should be prepared for at least a month-long lockdown,” Mr. Sharat added.
The police raided over 11 medical shops for selling masks and hand sanitisers at inflated rates on Sunday. They seized three of the stores. The Health Department has launched a door-to-door awareness campaign on COVID-19 and covered nearly 3,000 houses in a couple of days.
Zilla Panchayat CEO P. Raja, Superintendent of Police Iada Martin Marbaniang and officials of the Health Department were present.
