‘Centre to increase State vaccine share from 65 lakh to one crore per month’

Mysore/Mysuru: After holding a review meeting with officials of the District at Zilla Panchayat Hall yesterday regarding COVID scenario, battle-readiness for third wave and also vaccination target, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai outlined a slew of measures to mitigate the effects of future waves of the pandemic. COVID management will shift to smaller geographies instead of a district-level management. This micro-management will be at the level of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at all places where children between the age group of 6 and 16 would be screened. 

Children’s health camp 

“I have asked Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru Dr. Bagadi Gautham to hold a children’s health camp in all Schools in each village and they will be checked for malnutrition and undergrowth. Such children will be provided nutritious food and supplementary vitamin boosters from the Women and Child Welfare Department and Health Department,” the CM said.

Testing at PHCs

COVID Care Centres will be opened at village and Taluk level and all facilities would be provided to the respective administrations. Testing of children will also be done at the PHC level, he added. “We will ensure that immunity among children is high so that other diseases associated with COVID-19 and also COVID per se are effectively combated,” he said.

The seven-day average Test Positivity Rate (TPR) in Mysuru was 1.19 percent and the last seven days had seen a total of 763 cases, besides 20 deaths. During the last one week, a total of 1.26 lakh people had been vaccinated in the district, the CM noted. Presently, 9,000 tests were being conducted in Mysuru district every day, he said. 

One crore doses

On vaccination, the CM said that the Centre has assured to increase Karnataka’s share of vaccines from 65 lakh to one crore per month. “I met the Union Health Minister in New Delhi and sought an increase in the allocation and the Minister assured me that Karnataka will receive one crore doses during August. Also, I requested the Health Minister to increase the allocation to 1.5 crore from September so that five lakh doses can be administered daily,” he said. 

Vaccination and oxygen

The CM instructed authorities in border districts to prioritise vaccination to people residing in border areas and inoculate the personnel manning the gates. 

Of the 14 oxygen generators sanctioned to Mysuru, three were functional and six are likely to be commissioned soon. “I will ask the Health Commissioner in Bengaluru to immediately arrange for five more oxygen generators for Mysuru. Separate arrangements were also underway to ensure medical oxygen for ICUs.  On its part, the District Administration has sought 20 ICU ventilators for children and they will be procured from Bengaluru and handed over to the DC. 

Dasara festival 

On Dasara celebrations, Bommai said that the decision would be taken in Bengaluru after ascertaining the prevailing situation in October and also in consultation with the COVID Task Force. 

The CM’s meeting was attended by Ministers S.T. Somashekar, Byrathi Basavaraj, V. Somanna, Murugesh Nirani, Dr. K. Sudhakar, Munirathna and K. Gopalaiah, MLAs G.T. Devegowda, Tanveer Sait, L. Nagendra and B. Harshavardhan MLCs Marithibbegowda and K.T. Srikantegowda along with Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, and SP R. Chetan.

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Most of the Cabinet Ministers present; Media entry limited to clicking photos

Mysore/Mysuru: It was indeed a high-level COVID review meeting at the D. Devaraj Urs Hall at Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Office this noon that was chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. 

The meeting discussed a wide range of issues concerning public safety, lapses or delay in COVID management if any, finance available to battle third wave and also strategies to prevent paediatric  infections.   

Ministers S.T. Somashekar, Byrathi Basavaraju, V. Somanna, Murugesh Nirani, Dr. K. Sudhakar, Munirathna and K. Gopalaiah, MLAs G.T. Devegowda, Tanveer Sait, L. Nagendra and B. Harshavardhan MLCs Marithibbegowda and K.T. Srikantegowda were a part of the meeting along with Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta and SP R. Chetan. 

Media persons were, however, not allowed inside the high-level meeting and after the photos and videos were taken of the meeting, they were asked to leave the Hall. Newsmen were asked to come to the Abdul Nazeer Saab Hall at the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) after the meeting to note down what the VVIPs and the officials said rather than being a part of  the meeting. 

Sources said that at the meeting, a presentation was made to the CM on the COVID battle in Mysuru, the deaths so far, test positivity rate, COVID Care Centres, hospital beds available in case of the third wave and the overall preparedness of the district. Data was provided by the DC on the vaccination status and the data of the people who have got both the first dose and the second dose of vaccination. 

As the CM arrived at the ZP premises, a Guard of Honour was accorded to him by the City Police Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police as it was the Chief Minister’s official visit to Mysuru.

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Kodagu DC imposes fresh restrictions on travellers from high-risk States

Mysuru/Madikeri: A report from the State COVID War Room has stated that 10 out the 30 districts in Karnataka including Mysuru and Kodagu have reported COVID-19 Test Positivity Rate (TPR) that is higher than the State average of 1.4 percent from July 25 to July 31. 

While Mysuru reported a TPR of 2 percent, Kodagu reported 4.7%. Dakshina Kannada tops the list with a TPR of 5%. Notably, more cases are being seen mainly in the border districts that have geographies next to Kerala. 

Though experts have suggested to the Government that restrictions have to be imposed including night and weekend curfews and preventing crowding at any cost, the State is adopting a wait and watch approach.

Quarantine back in Bengaluru

Meanwhile, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta stated this morning that all those who come to Bengaluru from high-risk States like Kerala and Maharashtra have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at places suggested by the BBMP. 

At the quarantine centres, RT-PCR tests will be conducted and only those reporting negative status and asymptomatic ones would be sent home. The BBMP has also decided to immediately implement the concept of containment zones.

In view of the State Government giving authority to the DCs of border districts to take local decisions to prevent the virus spread, Kodagu DC Charulata Somal issued fresh guidelines.

As per the orders issued this morning, all those who come to Kodagu from Kerala and Maharashtra including tourists and other official visitors have to produce a negative RT-PCR certificate not less than 72 hours before entering the District. 

All the check-posts have been placed under high alert and RT-PCR testing kiosks have been established. The second level of screening will be undertaken at resorts, home stays, hotels, dormitories and lodges where the respective accommodation managements have been given the responsibility of ensuring the less than 72-hour RT-PCR reports from all tourists from the high risk States. 

Also, tourist accommodation owners have been asked to report the tourist arrival to the respective Town Panchayat and Gram Panchayat offices to keep a track of the visitors. Action would be taken against violators under the Disaster Management Act and under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the DC’s order stated. 

Vaccination shortage

Meanwhile, Kodagu faces severe shortage of vaccines as only 2,500 vaccines are sent to the District once in two or three days. Kodagu Hotel and Resort Owners Association President Nagendra Prasad told Star of Mysore that though the hotel staff have been considered as frontline workers, nearly 70 percent of them are not fully vaccinated. 

“This is a risk and we have more than 1,000 workers in 250 hotels, over 2,500 to 3,000 workers in home stays and resorts. All the tourists come in direct contact with the non-vaccinated staff,” he said and added that the MLAs of the District must pressurise the Government to send more vaccines to Kodagu on a daily basis. 

Each vaccine centre in the district receives only 100 doses and people stand in queues as early as 5 am to get tokens that are distributed at 10 am. Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan told SOM that from tomorrow (Aug. 3), Kodagu will get a supply of 5,000 vaccines instead of the present 2,500 shots. 

“We are a border district and I have already spoken to the Health Department in view of the high Test Positivity Rate and the latter has assured to send 5,000 vaccines in batches,” he said.

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Mysore/Mysuru: The Officers of various Government Departments in Mysuru are now heaving a sigh of relief, thanks to a plunge in Corona positive cases in the last 8-10 days. This has resulted in drastic fall in demand for oxygenated beds in Covid Care Centres (CCCs), District Covid Hospital and Private Hospitals.

Intensive vaccination drive and continuation of lockdown restrictions till July 21 have reduced the intensity of COVID-19 pandemic in the district. The demand for ICU and oxygenated beds has fallen flat and there is no scramble for ventilators both in the Government and the Private Hospitals. All these positive developments have made officers of Mysuru City Corporation, Mysuru Urban Development Authority, Zilla Panchayat and Health and Family Welfare Department to relax a little bit.

The number of Corona positive patients has reduced in the CCC situated at a Hostel building in Bogadi and the Centres in private buildings. Likewise, the demand for ICU beds, oxygenated beds and ventilators at District Covid Hospital, Trauma Care Centre in PKTB Hospital premises, Super Speciality Hospital, K.R. Hospital and SMT Hospital has fallen drastically. 

The COVID Mitra Centres were now getting around 10 to 20 patients. The number of telephone calls to Covid Control Room has decreased because of which the services of volunteers and other staff have been withdrawn.

However, vaccination drive was going on in Government Hospitals and Primary Health Centres and priority was given to second dose takers. 

The RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) were going on for the detection and treatment of Corona positive patients. 

The 18-plus population was given vaccination on priority. The pressure on burial grounds and crematoria in city has decreased due to fall in mortality rate.

As many as 161 Corona positive patients are under treatment at KSOU Covid Care Centre at present. The capacity of this Centre is 625 beds. All the beds were occupied till the third week of June.

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Mysore/Mysuru: The District Administration is seriously considering closing down of ‘COVID Mitra’ Centres in a phased manner due to steady decline in Corona positive cases in the district.

When the Corona positive cases hit peak a two months ago, the then Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Shilpa Nag came out with the novel idea of starting the ‘COVID Mitra’ Centres to check the spreading of pandemic.

Accordingly, the Centres were opened at Panchakarma Hi-Tech Ayurveda College, District COVID Hospital, Dattagalli, Vijayanagar 2nd and 3rd Stage, Beedi Workers’ Hospital, Farooqia College, SMT Hospital and at 21 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the district.

In each Centre, each shift was managed by a doctor, nurse and four volunteers. They were receiving calls from patents and counselling them. This helped in the early detection, treatment of patients and brought down Case Positivity Rate (CPR). The number of patients coming to ‘COVID Mitra’ Centres has reduced considerably.

In the wake of this, the District Administration wants to close down the Centres one by one. Already, two Centres, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage and Dattagalli, have closed down. Some more will follow the suit in the coming days. 

The staff working in those Centres will be deputed to COVID Hospital. The beds in most of the Hospitals are empty due to decline in Corona positive cases across the District, sources told Star of Mysore.

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Mysore/Mysuru: KPCC Spokesperson M. Lakshmana has claimed that the District Administration was trying to manipulate COVID deaths in the district to ‘mislead’ people and prompt the State Government to continue strict lockdown for some more weeks.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Office near City Railway Station this morning, Lakshmana said that from the beginning, the District Administration and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), at the instance of District Minister S.T. Somashekar, was hiding COVID deaths. 

According to documents in his possession, there was not a single death on June 16, but the district authorities showed 28 deaths. On June 17 too there was zero death, but they have shown 26 deaths. One death took place on June 18, but 15 deaths were shown according to Government bulletin. Similarly, there was one death on June 19, but they have shown 17 deaths. On June 21, six persons had succumbed to Coronavirus, but the Government bulletin showed 33 deaths. The deaths occurred during the months of March, April and May, were shown as daily deaths, he claimed.

“I appeal the current DC, Dr. Bagadi Gautham not to commit the mistake committed by his predecessor. You stick to rules and release death data without concealing facts,” he said. 

The District Administration has reduced RT-PCR test to show low mortality rate. By doing this, the BJP leaders want the Government to extend lockdown further. 

Lakshmana claimed that according to Civil Registration Society, Department of Statistics, report, as many as 1,67,788 persons have died of COVID from April, 2020 to May, 2021 in the State, but the Government has put up the number of deaths to 29,090.

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All between the age group of 0 and 10 years

• 2,999 kids test positive from April to June 12 (second wave)
• 1,521 infected from March 2020 to March 2021 (first wave) 

By M.T. Yogesh Kumar

Mysore/Mysuru: The recent surge in COVID-19 cases and with children being equally affected, parents are worried about a possible third wave and how it will impact their kids. 

Similar to older adults, children also experience various symptoms and some of them are highly common and prevalent in all age groups including fever, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat and cough.

From March 2020 till June 12, 2021, 4,520 children from the age group of 0 to 10 years have been hit by COVID pandemic in Mysuru and ever since the second wave began from April, there has been a marked increase in the number of young ones getting infected. 2,999 kids from the age group of 0 to 10 years have been infected from April 2021 to June 12 (second wave) and 1,521 children (0 and 10) were infected in the first wave. 

This alarming trend sends out warning signals that children need to be protected from the risk of third wave. As per the data available with Star of Mysore, from March 2020 to February 2021, 628 children between the age group of 0 to 5 years were infected along with 852 children in the age group of 6 to 10. 3,841 children in the age group of 11 to 20 were affected during the same period. 

In March 2021, 10 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years were infected in Mysuru and 31 were in the age group of 6 to 10. 313 children between the age group of 11 and 20 were also affected. In April this year, when the second wave started, 251 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years, 320 in the age group of 6 to 10 and 2,036 children in the age group of 11 to 20 were affected. 

In May this year, 707 children between the age group of 0 and 5, 1,224 in the age group of 6 to 10 and 5,714 in the age group of 11 to 20 tested positive for the virus. As on June 12 this year, 170 children were affected by the virus between the age group if 0 and 5, 327 tested positive in the age group of 6 to 10 and 1,406 between the age group of 11 and 20 tested positive. (See table.)

Mild infections

Children with a mild infection were treated in home isolation, recommending symptomatic treatment with paracetamol. However, if the symptoms continued to progress, medical help was sought. Counselling and one-on-one sessions with children treating children is important as children may lack the ability to express and also they may not realise the magnitude of the pandemic per se.

In all, 139 children visited the State-run Cheluvamba Hospital in May this year with symptoms and of them, 51 who had tested positive, were admitted. 88 children were closely monitored in home isolation as they had mild symptoms. “They were not serious and the children recuperated well,” Dr. Sudha Rudrappa, Medical Superintendent of Cheluvamba Hospital told SOM.

Six deaths were reported and one among them was a premature baby and an 11-year-old mentally challenged child. At the V.V. Puram Maternity Hospital, there were 170 deliveries and among them, 10 were high-risk deliveries and all the 10 babies had tested positive. But they have recovered well, thanks to the timely care provided by the Hospital. At the Cheluvamba Hospital, there are 100 oxygenated beds, 18 wards, two ventilators, six ICU beds and three warmers to meet emergencies.

Youth and elderly

Data also shows that the maximum people who have been infected since the first wave are between the age group of 31 to 40 years and their number stands at 35,872. They are closely followed by people in the age group of 21 to 30 years and their number stands at 34,944 as on June 12, this year. 4,978 persons in the age group of 71 to 80 years were infected since the first wave till June 12 this year and 1,425 persons above 81 years tested positive during the same period.

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Delay in reporting mechanism is cause for many deaths, says District Surveillance Officer

Mysore/Mysuru: The mounting Case Fatality Rate (CFR) in Mysuru at a time when the positivity rate is declining rapidly is a big cause for concern as the number of patients succumbing to COVID-19 infection has gone up with 286 deaths reported in a span of 15 days, from June 1.

As per the media bulletin released by the District Administration yesterday, till now, 1,910 persons have lost their lives in the pandemic. The War Room report says that from May 1, 2021 to May 31, Mysuru reported 420 deaths and from April 1 till April 31 this year, 151 deaths have been reported. That means, the death numbers have increased from May this year and from June 1 till June 15, 286 deaths have been reported.

From June 1 to June 12, Mysuru was reporting an average death rate of 15 to 22 persons per day and from June 13, the district has been reporting 25 deaths per day and yesterday, 26 deaths were reported. 

Till now, 11 Black Fungus (mucormycosis) deaths have been reported, says the War Room data.

Technical reasons: Explaining the reasons of climbing mortality rate, the District Administration has, however, placed some technical reasons. 

According to a press release by District Surveillance Officer Dr. Shivaprasad, death rate has increased as the data of deaths of patients in home isolation and of the patients who have been discharged from the hospitals was not immediately available. The details are available only after 10 days when the triage team members take information from the families, he stated. 

Secondly, when a patient dies at home, it is reported in the ‘community death audit’ and there will be a delay in information collection. 

Thirdly, according to Dr. Shivaprasad, a few private hospitals submit the daily death figures only once in a week to the District Surveillance Office and as such, the death numbers are high now. 

Fourthly, there is a delay in death reportage by ‘Suvarna Aarogya Suraksha Trust’ (SAST) and SAST is not reporting the deaths by the fixed deadline. These are patients who have been admitted under SAST scheme (free Government treatment) after COVID-positive confirmation from CT scans. 

Though delay in reporting mechanism has been cited as the major reason for increased deaths by Dr. Shivaprasad, it is not explained in his clarification that how the total number of deaths increases in spite of late reportage of death data.

DC clarifies on death rates

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham this morning attributed the increased death rate to the delay in reporting deaths that take place in both private and Government hospitals and ramping up of RT-PCR tests.

Talking to reporters, he said if deaths occur before the confirmation of COVID positivity, then the data is accumulated through triage. Second reason has been late reporting of deaths in private and Government hospitals. 

The third reason is that if a COVID positive person dies after discharge then the information is collected through War Room and that process will take time. 

The fourth reason is conducting more number of RT-PCR test to detect positive cases.

“If we conduct less tests, the number of deaths will be less. However, when we conduct more tests, naturally the number of deaths will be more,” he said.

‘Lack of medical staff is the real reason for deaths’

Meanwhile, Founder and Managing Director of Skanray Technologies Vishwaprasad Alva has opined that the increased death rate in Mysuru is due to lack of medical staff, paramedics and absence of a skilled approach in dealing with the pandemic. “Any amount of increase in beds and equipment will not arrest the fatalities. The need of the hour for the District Administration is to have a formal staffing and skill programme for doctors and paramedics,” he stated. 

The treatment protocols of Government Hospitals and the Private Hospitals are different and this information needs to be shared for learning among medical professionals. “Some smaller hospitals are actually becoming a hot-bed of fatalities as they do not have qualified doctors. Also, there is a mismanagement of cases where mild and moderate cases are converted to severe case,” he observed. 

The Government must create a Command and Control Centre in Mysuru and bestow powers with the District in-Charge (preferably a local MLA who is available in Mysuru 24×7) and the Deputy Commissioner and conduct independent audits to check on the availability of drugs, doctors and staff and track the progress on a day-to-day basis, he said.

“Innovative cross training of doctors of other specialities to treat COVID patients, addition of volunteers and paramedical staff is critical at this juncture and also in preparation for the potential third wave. Only these measures will make up for the shortfall of professionals,” Alva opined.

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Bengaluru: Even as State BJP In-charge Arun Singh is scheduled to arrive in the State capital this evening in a bid to end the leadership row once and for all, amidst the reported demand for a change of guard by a section of the party, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said that the Government will take a decision on Unlock 2.0 in districts which have less number of cases, later in the evening today (June 16).

Speaking to press persons here yesterday, Yediyurappa said that with Corona cases coming down gradually by the day, the Government will decide on details about Unlock 2.0 that will come to effect after the lockdown relaxations in the first phase ends on June 21.

Pointing out that the Government is working out plans for Unlock 2.0, he said that the first priority of the Government is to bring the deadly pandemic under complete control in the entire State.

Noting that the Government will consider phased unlocking in high caseload districts if the number of cases show a steady decline, Yediyurappa said that it is satisfactory to note that the number of cases as well as fatality rate has come down sharply in the State.

Replying to a question on the demand by disgruntled Legislators for the arrival of another observer along with State BJP in-charge Arun Singh, the Chief Minister said that any leader of the party can meet him when he arrives in Bengaluru for a three-day visit of the State on Wednesday evening.

Asserting that there is no confusion over leadership issue, he said that the party is united and he would continue to be the CM for the next two years.

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City turns vehicle-conversion hub for Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu

By M.T. Yogesh Kumar

Mysore/Mysuru: With the increasing demand for hospital beds as well as ambulances amid the massive surge in COVID-19 cases, there are many enterprising businessmen who have taken up the task of converting tourist and other passenger vehicles into ambulances. And Mysuru city has become a hub of ambulance-making for districts like Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu. 

Treated specially by the Government agencies in the districts as essential service, the ambulance-making business has given a new lease of life for tourism vehicles that have been sitting idle as the entire tourism sector has been shut and there is no chance of revival in the next couple of months. 

While there are many vehicle-converters who are making minimum changes to the tourist vehicles after removing the seats to convert the vehicle as hearse vans, some workers are giving the vehicle a total makeover, transforming the tourist vehicles into full-fledged ambulances complete with foldable beds, mini-ventilators, and oxygen supply connections and with sirens and siren lamps.

Though the Health Department has been making efforts to provide ambulances and other vehicles and infrastructure to cater to the people affected by the pandemic, at times it gets stuck as the demand is more when the infected cases pile up requiring immediate attention and transportation to hospitals with oxygen necessity. 

108 service not used

Also with the establishment of COVID Care Centres (CCC), critically ill patients have to be transported from the CCCs to the hospitals. The Government 108 ambulance service is not used for COVID purposes due to the contagious nature and stigma attached to the disease and even non-COVID patients and the pregnant had to be brought to hospitals from villages. So naturally there was a dearth of ambulances.

“Moved by the plight of several people who had to wait in uncertainty for the ambulances to getting admitted, I decided to convert vehicles into ambulances. No other vehicles are being used as ambulances because of the fear of this deadly virus. As there was a shortage of ambulances, I decided to convert tourist vehicles,” N. Ram Prasad of Ultra Radiums told Star of Mysore. He has an outlet in Vidyaranyapuram in city that has a full-fledged fabrication workshop.

Special permission

Permission from the Mysuru District Administration and the administrations of other districts has been obtained considering that it is a lockdown. Earlier, the demand was minimum with only a couple of political parties seeking to convert Tempo Travellers into ambulances. As the demand for vehicles grew, Ram Prasad got orders from other districts and in the last one month, he has converted more than 30 vehicles into ambulances. 

He has a team comprising Naga, Ramesh, Raghu and Ajay as welders, Kalim as electrician and Manjunath as the person who does the finer details in fabrication and stickering. “We get the materials through online stores and all the materials are treated as essential service and even the delivery is allowed. I was doing the radium sticker business earlier but as it was an emergency, I chipped in to this conversion,” he said. 

A majority of the vehicles converted till now (over 20) are Tempo Travellers that were used as tourist carriers. Even Innova and Winger have been transformed. “The seats are removed and the welding work is done to fix foldable beds and place for stretchers by the side. Special containers are created to hold oxygen cylinders and also oxygen concentrators. One vehicle takes two days to be converted and we strictly follow COVID norms at work. We save time taken for painting by pasting radium stickers on vehicles,” Ram Prasad said. 

“We are here not to make money but serve the society in its hour of need. Conversion usually is an expensive affair but we take only nominal charges after deducting the material prices. Many people have asked us to convert their vehicles permanently into ambulances and some have made ad-hoc arrangements,” he added.

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