Karnataka plans to minimise mortality rate due to COVID-19

Bengaluru, May 8 () With the COVID-19 cases crossing750 and the fatalities reaching 30,the Karnataka government onFriday decided to work out strategies to minimise themortality rate in the fight against the coronavirus in thestate.

Karnataka recorded its biggestever single-day spike of 48 new COVID-19 cases, including aninfant, taking its total to 753 today.

Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar chaired ahigh-level meeting with the top rank officials to chalk out astrategy to minimise the deaths due to the deadly virus, agovernment press release said.

The state government is taking its fight againstCOVID-19 to the next level, and will additionally focus onmeasures to reduce the mortality rate in critical patients inthe State by strengthening health systems to ensure thatcritical patients are treated early.

"This will help reduce the death rate of COVID-19patients in Karnataka," Bhaskar was quoted as saying.

He said instructions have been given to all theDistrict Health Officers to nominate nodal and sub-nodalofficers to monitor and capture details of ICU patients,patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and thecritically ill on a day-to-day basis.

Necessary arrangements have been made for theCritical Care Support Team to conduct training for COVID-19teams in designated hospitals on current treatment protocols,the officials apprised the Chief Secretary.

It was pointed out in the meeting that districtcommittees to streamline their interactions with the CriticalCare Support Team for better patient care have been set up.

Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar apprised theChief Secretary that the team of expert doctors haverecommended the use of pulse oximeters for all patients.

It was also decided in the meeting that all thepatients having lung related diseases should be tested forCOVID-19, the press release stated.

"We have advised districts to procure two or threehigh flow nasal cannula systems for patients and suggestednon-invasive ventilation for patients as well," Akhtar wasquoted as saying.

The government was open to involving private medicalcolleges and private institutions if there was surge inCOVID-19 cases.

The state government decided to apply to the ICMR toseek permission to conduct lung biopsies after the death ofCOVID-19 patients and for clinical autopsies.

"This (lung biopsy) will help in providing criticalpatients with more effective care and bring down mortalityrates," Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Commissioner, Department ofHealth and Family Welfare,said. GMS BNWELCOME BNWELCOME