Seven new coronavirus reported in K'taka, tally rises to 151 in state

Bengaluru, Apr 5 () Seven new novel coronaviruscases including five who had attended the Tablighi Jamaatcongregation in Delhi, were confirmed taking the total numberof patients in the state to 151 on Sunday, said the KarnatakaHealth department.

Those who joined the list of COVID-19 patientscomprised a couple from Bengaluru, four from Raibagh inBelagavi and one person from Ballari, health department saidin its daily bulletin on Sunday.

The 151 cases include four deaths and 11 discharges,the department added.

According to the bulletin issued by the department, a68-year old man and his 62-year old wife who hail fromMadiwala in Bengaluru had returned from Dubai on March 22.

They were quarantined at a private hospital and havebeen asymptomatic.

Of the five COVID-19 patients who attended the Markazof Tabhligh-e-Jamaat, four are from Raibagh in Belagavi whileone person is from Ballari.

The Markaz attendees included three women and all ofthem are from Belagavi.

While the Belagavi patients have been isolated at thedistrict hospital in Belagavi, the Ballari patient has beenquarantined at MDRS, at Alipur in Ballari and he isasymptomatic, the bulletin said.

The department said the contract tracing of all thepatients is underway.

The government appealed people who had attendedTablighi Jamaat Congregation in New Delhi to contact 080-29711171 Arogya Sahayavani, the medical helpline number.

The department said the Indian Council of MedicalResearch has issued an advisory to start rapid antibody basedblood test for COVID-19 as a strategy for areas reportingclusters (containment zone) and in large migration, gatheringor evacuees centres.

The department said out of 151 patients 12 have beendischarged and 135 are active cases and four deaths have takenplace.

The deaths took place in Kalaburagi, Tumakuru,Chikkaballapura and Bagalkote.

Of the 151 cases in Karnataka, maximum 57 has beenreported in Bengaluru, 28 in Mysuru, 12 in Dakshina Kannada,10 in Bidar, eight in Uttaara Kannada, seven in Belgavai, sixin Ballari, five in Kalaburagi, three each in Davangere andUdupi and one each in Dharwad, Kodagu, Tumakuru, Bagalkote andBengaluru rural.

In view of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in thestate, Chief MInister B S Yediyurappa appealed to the peopleto strictly adhere to the lockdown.

Expressing his concern over the gradual increase inthe cases, Yediyurappa said the damage caused by the COVID-19worldwide is known to everyone and accordingly, the PrimeMinister has announced nationwide lockdown till April 14.

"In our state, the number of coronavirus patients isincreasing in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Bidar, Kalaburagi. Besidesshutting down borders, prayers at all the religious placeshave been stopped and various other measures have been takento prevent the COVID-19 from spreading further," the ChiefMinister said in a statement.

He said people have to understand the importance oflockdown as the disease is dangerous for the country. GMSSS