Is Karnataka entering Stage 3 of COVID-19 outbreak, asks opposition

The opposition questioned the government's response to COVID-19 at an all-party meet

karnataka-all-party-meet [File] (From left to right) Former chief ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah and current CM B.S. Yediyurappa at the all-party meet

Leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah demanded to know if Karnataka had slipped into Stage 3—the community transmission of COVID-19 outbreak. 

“The minister insists we are still in Stage 2. But the COVID-19 positive cases reported from Nanjangud and Sira (who died on March 28) had no travel history nor did they have any contact with persons coming from coronavirus-hit countries. These cases need a closer examination. We must take immediate steps to prevent the virus from spreading to our villages,” said Siddaramaiah, during the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in Bengaluru on Sunday. 

Siddaramaiah expressed concern over the government’s failure to identify all the international passengers who had landed in Bengaluru over the last two months.

Seconding the fact, former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanded to know how many international passengers had been stamped (for home quarantine) till date. 

“Out of 26,000 passengers, who landed in Bengaluru, how many have been stamped? How many have been tested and home quarantined? I feel there is a shortage of testing kits. In Victoria Hospital, which has been turned into a COVID-19 hospital, patients are being driven away. It is not easy to get tested. So, you must ensure that the testing kits you procure are reliable. The US has tested five lakh persons. How many have we tested so far? The protective equipment for doctors and healthcare workers is of substandard quality, too,” Kumaraswamy said. 

“The COVID-19 guidelines for dead body disposal is already framed. How prepared are you for such eventualities?” the JD(S) leader asked.

“Some estimates suggest that the actual infections in India by now is 21,000. By July, the predictions say, 10 lakh people will need hospitalisation. Are we ready to handle it? The Ramanagara district has only five ventilators. The new ventilators procured by government have not been fixed owing to labour problem. I am afraid the government needs to pick up pace to tackle this crisis,” Kumaraswamy said.

“I urge the government to consider this situation as a blessing in disguise and scale up our healthcare system which is wanting at present,” he added. 

KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar reiterated that the management of the COVID-19 outbreak should follow the guidelines laid by the World Health Organisation and not be misused to push one’s political agenda.

Alleging lack of coordination between the deputy chief ministers and the ministers handling the COVID-19, Shivakumar said, “I will not take names. But the lack of coordination is creating confusion among the people. The CM has to intervene and bring in cohesion. The government should ensure free supply of masks for frontline workers and evolve strategies to resolve the issues facing the migrant workers and also the distraught farmers in the state.”

CM Yediyurappa stated that he would consider all the suggestions made by the opposition parties seriously and assured the state was prepared to tackle the crisis. The CM denied there was any shortage of testing kits, masks or medicines as alleged by the opposition leaders.

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