Record single-day spike of 48 COVID-19 cases takes Karnataka's tally to 753

(Eds: Updates, combines related stories)

Bengaluru, May 8 () Karnataka recorded its biggestever single-day spike of 48 new COVID-19 cases, including aninfant, taking its total to 753 on Friday but the stategovernment ruled out any link between the surge and relaxationin lockdown curbs.

The number of active cases stood at 346 with all butfive of them were in isolation at designated hospitals and instable condition. The five were undergoing treatment in theintensive care unit, a health department bulleting said.

"As of 5 PM on May 8, cumulatively 753 COVID-19 positivecases have been confirmed in the state, it includes 30 deathsand 376 discharges," it said.

Ten people, who have recovered, were discharged onFriday. "Not a good day as far as numbers are concerned, todaybeing the day with highest number of positives," MinisterSuresh Kumar, who is government spokesperson for COVID-19related developments, told reporters.

However, ruling out any connection between spike in casesand relaxation in lockdown, he said fresh cases were comingfrom place and source where patients have already testedpositive. "...As of today we cannot find connection between lockdownand spike in cases, but it is definitely a caution that ifquarantine measures are not followed properly, it will add tothe tally," he said.

The 48 new cases include 14 from Davangere, 12 fromBhatkal in Uttara Kannada, 11 from Belagavi, seven fromBengaluru Urban, three from Chitradurga and one from Ballari.

At least 12 of them are children (below 18 years)including a five-month old girl.

Barring seven, including three with travel history toAhmedabad, all others are contacts of patients already testedpositive.

On the cost per patient for treatment, the Minister saidaccording to a rough calculation shared by the BangaloreMedical College Rs 4.74 crore had been spent as of date whichincluded capital expenditure of Rs 1.40 crore for purchase ofequipment and construction of COVID-19 wards.

As the hospital treated 136 patients, it worked out theaverage cost at Rs 3.49 lakh, he said adding similar reportshad been received from other COVID-19 hospitals also.

Bengaluru Urban with 168 cases continued to account formaximum number of coronavirus infections, followed by Mysuru(88) and Belagavi (83).

A total of 98,081 samples, including 4,546 on Friday,had been tested so far. Of them, 92,237 samples have reportednegative with 4,481 on Friday.

Noting that it has come to government's notice that insome COVID-19 hospitals senior specialists, specialists andteaching faculties were not attending infected patients, Kumarsaid instructions had been given for preparing a duty rosterand ensure they too took up the work on a rotation basis.

The Health department has issued a circular on makingfree lab services to the public under the National FreeDiagnostic Services at all government health facilities.

Services which are not available in government labs canbe taken from identified private labs, with appropriateprocedures and payment approved by department in respectivedistricts, it said.

Meanwhile, demanding that the COVID-19 be declared asnational disaster, opposition parties in the state on Fridayasked the government to bring pressure on the Centre toprovide it Rs 50,000 crore special economic package to helpthose in distress due to lockdown induced by the pandemic.

Accusing the central government of not giving the state'sshare of PM CARES fund, a delegation led by Leader of theopposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah met Chief Minister B SYediyurappa and urged him to seek central assistance to takemeasures aimed at increasing the purchasing power of thepeople. KSUVS VS