Karnataka recorded five more cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on December 19, in addition to the 14 reported earlier.
The newly infected persons are from Dharwad (54-year-old male), Bhadravathi (20-year-old female), Udupi (82-year-old male and 73-year-old female) and Mangaluru (19-year-old female), according to a tweet by Health Minister K. Sudhakar on December 20 morning.
This takes the total number of Omicron-infected to 19 in Karnataka: reported from Bengaluru, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Udupi and Shivamogga districts. Many among the those infected are double-vaccinated with no travel history. However, all have either mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.
The State reported 222 new COVID 19 cases according to the Department of Health and Family Welfare’s Monday bulletin, 146 in Bengaluru Urban. Apart from two new deaths, there were 286 discharges. The positivity rate was 0.25% against 87469 tests. There were 7074 active cases in the state.
Precautionary measures
Meanwhile, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has made COVID-19 tests mandatory for all patients of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) visiting as outpatients at all private hospitals in the city in the wake of the Omicron scare.
Dr. Trilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, held a meeting with the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association on Monday, and discussed preventive measures.
Dr. Chandra said private hospitals should ensure that all patients coming to their hospitals get both doses of the vaccine. “If anyone comes with no vaccination, or with only one dose of vaccination, then the hospital needs to get them fully vaccinated,” he said.
“Presently, COVID-19 cases in the city are stable. As a precautionary measure, according to the Government Order, private hospitals must be ready to reserve beds for COVID-19 patients. Along with that, separate paediatric beds also should be ensured. Information about real-time bed availability should be uploaded in the PHANA portal. All the necessary measures should be taken to ensure the proper availability of oxygen,” Dr. Chandra said.
