No cause for worry, but precautions must: Karnataka minister on Covid spike
Health minister said CM Siddaramaiah would chair a meeting later in the day with health department officials and experts, to review the current Covid situation
Bengaluru, May 26 (PTI) Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there is no cause for concern, as most of the recent Covid-19 cases reported in the state involve only mild infections. However, he asserted that precautions still need to be taken.
He said there is no need to impose any restrictions at the moment, other than basic precautions for high-risk individuals. Any further measures, if necessary, will be taken based on the evolving situation, which is being closely monitored.
"There are 47 active Covid-19 cases in the state, but no one is on a ventilator or oxygen support. All are in home isolation, and no one is in critical condition," Rao said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would chair a meeting later in the evening with officials from the Health and Medical Education departments, along with experts, to review the current situation and discuss future steps.
"RT-PCR kits will be supplied to all district and medical college hospitals starting today. Instructions have been given to collect the kits from the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) by this evening, so they will reach the facilities by today or tomorrow. Tests should be conducted only when necessary; there is no need for indiscriminate testing," he said, adding that public testing is not being launched at this point.
Observing the current symptoms in cases, Rao said the infections do not appear to be severe.
He added that similar information has been received from other states and the central government, so there is no reason to panic—but that does not mean precautions should be ignored.
"Let’s take precautions, observe the situation for a few more days, and take further action accordingly," he said.
"There are no specific guidelines from the Centre at this point, other than general advice to monitor the situation, ensure preparedness, conduct testing, and assess the Covid load factor." Rao noted that while there may be a minor variation between earlier variants of Covid-19 and the currently prevalent strain, no serious health issues have been observed so far.
"The severity has not been found yet," he added.
Reiterating that there are no movement restrictions in place, he said elderly people, those with low immunity, women who have recently given birth, and small children should wear masks when going to crowded places.
Regarding schools, he said measures will be decided after observing the situation for three to four days.
"We will consult experts and make a decision based on their reports," he added.
Responding to a question, Rao clarified that there is no link between Covid-19 and rain.
Diseases like dengue and chikungunya are caused by rains, he claimed.
"We have already held review meetings on dengue prevention across the state, in every district. About 50 per cent of dengue cases are reported from Bengaluru," Rao said.
"We have mobilised more than 700 volunteers to help maintain cleanliness and create awareness. Sufficient precautionary measures have been taken, but public cooperation is essential. The situation is being monitored, and if cases rise, further steps will be taken," he added. PTI