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‘Isolation, social distancing will do wonders, not testing’: BS Yediyurappa
Yediyurappa credited his government’s proactive response to the pandemic.
Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has credited his government’s proactive strategy for the relatively fewer number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases and deaths in the state after it reported the first fatality in the pandemic in the country on March 13. Yediyurappa spoke to Sunetra Choudhury about how his government was responding to the crisis. Edited excerpts:
What did Prime Minister Narendra Modi convey to chief ministers in Thursday’s video conference?
The PM suggested several measures [to check spread of coronavirus] such as utilisation of AYUSH staff and doctor’s services and popularisation of AYUSH-suggested food items for strengthening the immune system. Karnataka has already implemented or is in the process of implementing most of the steps suggested by the PM.
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What are you doing to trace 45 people from Karnataka who were at the headquarters of a religious organisation in Delhi where some people have been found to be Covid-19 positive?
We have tracked many of them and they will be quarantined. One of the three dead in Karnataka, who hailed from Sira town in Tumkur district, is suspected to have been among the 45. The whole town is being monitored. We are tracing them. We will track them .
Karnataka has fewer Covid-19 cases compared to states like Kerala. What are you doing to keep the number down?
Karnataka was the first state to announce a lockdown [on March 22] much before other states did so. When we reported the first Covid-19 death, we initiated various measures to contain the pandemic spread. We created a 1,500-bed facility at the Victoria hospital [Bengaluru] for exclusive treatment of Covid-19 cases. Immediately, we summoned experts and doctors and sought their opinions on how to check the disease. We went according to their suggestions... Many private hospitals announced they will offer ventilators and other facilities. Though the first death of a religious man, who had returned from abroad, was reported from Kalaburagi, we succeeded in controlling the spread.
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Bengaluru has reported no new cases for three days? What will you attribute it to?
All the precautions taken including setting up of war room with various apps to track and monitor the movement of the quarantined and those isolated. A Geo-fencing app has proved very fruitful as it provides accurate movements of the Covid-19 patients and quarantined people. This will help in disallowing suspects from mingling or roaming freely.
Are you going to increase testing like Kerala, which has introduced rapid testing? Many say that the more we test, the better it is.
More you isolate and distance the people from mingling, more we will be able to control the disease.. The first case was reported in Karnataka on March 6. Today, we have only 91 positive cases and this itself indicates how effective our measures are. Karnataka, which was the third worst-hit state all these days, has slid to 5th place, indicating we are on the right path in controlling the disease.
Are your five testing labs enough?
We are increasing the testing facilities. We now have seven testing centres. We are buying more than one lakh rapid testing kits from abroad. Isolation, quarantining and social and physical distancing will do wonders and not the testing centres.
How are you dealing with the difficult situation that migrant workers are facing because of the 21-day national lockdown imposed to check the Covid-19 spread?
It is wrong to say that the migrants are harassed. Suddenly, we decided to lock down and they were taken aback. We have created all the facilities for them. We decided to serve them food . We are compensating for the losses of their livelihood. All construction workers are being given food, advance ration for two months and monthly Rs 1,000 . All this is in addition to the Centre’s relief measures.
You have brought back people from places like Maharashtra. What measures have you adopted for them?
All the labourers living in Karnataka, irrespective of which state they belong to, are being treated equally and given all the facilities being given to the people of the state . Even our party representatives are looking after the camps where the labourers are sheltered . We are also keeping a watch on their health.
Is there a case of cluster spread at a Mysuru pharma company?
In Mysuru, the disease was first detected among two workers at the pharma company. We have quarantined all the thousand-odd workers . Yesterday [Monday], six more workers tested positive. We are tracing their relatives and friends they may have mingled or been in contact with. It cannot be described as a cluster case. The pharma company had to be kept open.
How is your government helping people from the northeast facing racism because of Covid-19?
No incident of such discrimination has been reported from our state. People of Karnataka are known for tolerance and humanity... There are over 2 lakh people from the northeastern states and north India in Karnataka. Do not compare the situation elsewhere with Karnataka. We are peace loving.
How would you react to criticism regarding breach of privacy over Karnataka’s move to publish addresses of those who have travelled internationally since March 8?
It is a false news that we have published the addresses. However, we have made a list of the people, who arrived here from abroad, to keep a watch on their health. In some suspected cases, we have subjected them to quarantine. How can you say that it is violation of privacy. People coming from abroad are carriers. For instance, first Covid-19 death was from Kalaburagi and the man had come from a pilgrimage. In the larger interest of the society and to keep the disease from spreading, some measures have been initiated and there is nothing wrong.
Do you think the lockdown should go beyond 21 days and how will you offset its economic impact?
It is too premature to predict anything on the lockdown issue. If the disease subsides , there is no question of extending the curfew. The Centre will take the decision. Our state has a robust economy and we are going to bounce back soon. I am sure the lockdown impact on the economy will be minimal and we can overcome this economic crisis in a couple of months.
A large number of people from Karnataka attended the religious congregation held in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, which has emerged as a hot spot for infection in India. Is that situation under control?
We have already tracked many of them and they will be quarantined. One of the three dead, who hails from Sira town in Tumkur district, is one of these 45 suspects. Whole town has been under surveillance. Officially, they are suspecting 600 cases, of these 391 have been identified. So far, 11 have tested positive.
