Govt medical colleges-hospitals to act as "war-rooms" to fight COVID-19 in Karnataka

The Karnataka government on Monday decided to create "war-rooms" in state-run medical colleges-district hospitals in its fight against COVID-19. Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K noted that there are a total of 17 districts where there are government medical colleges attached with hospitals. Such medical colleges-government hospitals would themselves act as "war-rooms" to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak, he told reporters.

"In each medical colleges-government hospitals, separate 150-200 bed zones will be created (to deal with such cases)", he said after a meeting with Directors of Government-run medical colleges.

Health department officials said in the remaining 13 districts, the government would reach out to private medical colleges and hospitals to join hands to contain the spread of the virus. Karnataka has so far reported seven coronavirus positive cases, including that of a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi, who died "due to co-morbidity and has also tested positive for COVID-19" last week.

The latest positive case was that of his daughter who was taking care of him, Department officials said. The man and his corona-positive daughter's primary contacts and secondary ones, numbering 77, including their 14 family members, and about 170, respectively, have been identified, they said. Of the six patients who tested positive, five are in a stable condition while it was a matter of concern with regard to the sixth one, who has comorbidities - hypertension and diabetes, the officials said.