Minister for Medical Education K. Sudhakar on Monday said the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in Kerala during Onam festival resulted in a surge of cases and such inaccuracies should not happen when Mysuru celebrates Dasara.
As many as 7,000 to 8,000 COVID-19 cases are now being reported in the neighbouring State after the restrictions were relaxed for the festival. Therefore the Dasara festivities should be kept as simple as possible over the pandemic scare. A final call on making celebrations safe will be taken after consultations with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar and Minister for Health B. Sriramulu, he added.
“A simple and meaningful Dasara is our aim,” he said, after chairing a meeting here to review the COVID-19 situation as Mysuru reported a spike in cases over the last few days.
He said COVID-19 is now getting out of control in Mysuru which was earlier a model for the State with no casualties reported despite many cases. “I am therefore here to take stock of the situation and give instructions for controlling it effectively,” he said, adding that Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri, who assumed charge recently, has sought a two-week time to control the pandemic and show results.
Mr. Sudhakar said the State was not facing shortage of ventilators but shortage of beds with oxygen supply. Therefore, steps had been taken to arrange 33,000 beds with oxygen supply and instructions had been given to the health officials for conducting COVID-19 testing to all senior citizens across Mysuru district.
‘Fine justified’
Justifying the decision of collecting fines of ₹500 and ₹1,000 respectively from those not wearing masks, he said the decision had become inevitable since people neglected the precautions even after various awareness activities were conducted for more than six months. “We must ensure that people strictly adhere to the guidelines.”
At the meeting, the Minister told the officials that the situation should be handled properly during Dasara festivities and the government guidelines must be strictly enforced. “COVID-19 is a long battle and all of us must work carefully till we get the vaccine.”
The booth-level task force committees should be activated and the people’s participation must be encouraged. The reasons for upsurge in the infection in the district should be studied.
The Minister said the services of people’s representatives, celebrities and popular personalities should be utilised to spread awareness. Step up the tests in markets and densely populated areas besides developing strategy for handling Dasara amidst the pandemic, he told the meeting.
Drugs purchased for ILI infections must be monitored at all medicine outlets. Treating and testing senior citizens and patients suffering from other illnesses must get priority. As many as 96,000 senior citizens suffering from various ailments need to be looked at.
He said the condition at the district hospitals needs improvement as there cannot be excuses in the treatment. Private hospitals should reserve 50% beds and the allotment of beds should be transparent.
Private hospitals are to be legally dealt with if they don’t listen. The DC should hold meetings and there should not be any complaints of overcharging by hospitals. The DHO should take action in case of any such overcharging. Officials are given full powers and they should utilise them, he added.
