Bengaluru
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he had to use “influence” to secure a bed for his brother-in-law, who was tested positive for Covid-19, as there was an acute shortage of medical facilities in the state to deal with the raging second wave of the pandemic.
“My brother-in-law was admitted in a hospital (in Mysuru), Pristine, they were not good and he got discharged. There were three people in a ward and were not taking care very well. I had to call (MR) Seetharam and got a bed in MS Ramaiah (hospital in Bengaluru) by using influence,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Seetharam is a former minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government between 2013 and 2018, and is part of MS Ramaiah groups of medical and other educational institutions.
Bengaluru is fast running out of hospital beds due to the sharp spike in cases, leaving relatives and others running from one place to another in search of critical medical care for their loved ones, said health experts.
The statement came when Karnataka reported 31,830 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of active infections in the state to 301,899. Bengaluru accounted for 17,550 new infections, taking the city’s total cases so far to 475,525, of which 206,223 are active. A total of 180 deaths were reported from the state, including 97 in Bengaluru, taking the death toll in Karnataka and its capital to 14,807 and 6,002, respectively, according to the health department’s daily bulletin. Positivity rate was at 18.71%, according to the government.
{{/usCountry}}The statement came when Karnataka reported 31,830 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of active infections in the state to 301,899. Bengaluru accounted for 17,550 new infections, taking the city’s total cases so far to 475,525, of which 206,223 are active. A total of 180 deaths were reported from the state, including 97 in Bengaluru, taking the death toll in Karnataka and its capital to 14,807 and 6,002, respectively, according to the health department’s daily bulletin. Positivity rate was at 18.71%, according to the government.
{{/usCountry}}According to an expert, Siddaramaiah’s story also highlighted the inaction by chief minister BS Yediyurappa-led state government in dealing with the second wave of the surge despite warnings from the technical advisory committee (TAC) in November last year.
The Congress in Karnataka, as well as nationally, has attacked both the state and Centre over its “glaring inefficiency” in handling the Covid-19 crisis.