E-Paper
Karnataka sees another record rise of Covid-19 cases as tally crosses 1000-mark
State health department officials said that they were concerned over the fact that nearly a third of the new cases have come from those who have returned from the Gulf region after they were evacuated and brought to Dakshin Kannada and Udupi districts.
With 69 new Covid-19 positive cases reported in Karnataka, the southern state saw the single biggest day rise in cases, even as the cumulative number of those who have tested positive for the virus crossed the 1000-mark. The state till now has recorded 1,056 total Covid-19 positive cases which include 35 deaths and 480 discharges. The total number of active cases in Karnataka stands at 539.
State health department officials said that they were concerned over the fact that nearly a third of the new cases have come from those who have returned from the Gulf region after they were evacuated and brought to Dakshin Kannada and Udupi districts.
On Thursday, Karnataka had sent back about 19 people from Delhi who had refused to quarantine themselves mandatorily for the two-week period as prescribed. The 19 were a part of 1000 passengers who came in the first train from Delhi to Bangalore in nearly two months.
Meanwhile, the state administration received criticism from several quarters after belated visuals appeared on social media of an annual temple fair to Goddess Maramma at Kollagondahalli village in Ramnagar district in which hundreds of devotees participated without any social distancing or masks being worn.
Apparently, villagers prayed to the goddess for elimination of coronavirus but the assembly of several hundred devotees congregating without any precautions being taken has attracted flak.
While the panchayat development officer has been suspended for allowing the temple fair to happen, priest Bore Gowda was arrested on Friday and charged under various sections of the IPC, including disobeying orders of public servant and acts leading to spread of an infectious disease.
Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan who is also the district-in-charge minister, however, claimed that the administration was not aware of the festival being held and that strict action would be taken against anybody who had been negligent in their duties.
