Karnataka to decide on future course of action to control COVID-19 on April 20: CM Yediyurappa
Bengaluru: COVID-19-related restrictions like "corona curfew" that are in place will continue and the government will decide on the future course of action aimed at controlling its spread on April 20, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday.
"We have discussed the report from experts, the curfew that is in place between 10 pm to 5 am at some district centres will continue and we are thinking about in which other districts it needs to be extended. No other decision has been taken today," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters after chairing an emergency meeting with Health Minister K Sudhakar and top officials for about one-and-half hours, he said the Covid situation was going out of control in Bengaluru and few other places.
"After this week, (on April 20) we will sit once again and discuss and come to a decision depending on the advice of the Prime Minister and what decisions other states will take. I have gathered all the information.. we have discussed this on priority and we will take all the necessary measures at the earliest," he added.
According to sources, the state's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on COVID has reportedly recommended more rigorous curfew-like restrictions and enforcement measures in the state.
Following the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister last week had announced a 'corona curfew' between 10 pm to 5 am in seven district centres of the state along with Manipal, from April 10 to 20, aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19.
In response to a question about strict measures being taken by states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, among others, he said an appropriate decision will be taken.
"Don't compare our state with others, we have our own reasons, so as of now there is no change and restrictions that are in place will continue till April 20..."
Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, the state government has convened an all-party meeting on April 18 at 4 pm to discuss strategies to control the spread of infections.
Health Minister Sudhakar said a meeting of legislators and Ministers in Bengaluru has been called on April 18 morning on measures that need to be taken to control the spread and regarding treatment for patients.
Karnataka on Thursday had reported its biggest single day spike of 14,738 new cases of COVID-19, and 66 deaths, taking the number of infections to 11,09,650 and toll to 13,112. Of the fresh cases, 10,497 were from Bengaluru Urban alone.
Total number of active cases in the state stood at 96,561.
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Two injuries, one DNF, a DQ as India end messy World Relays campaign
Gaborone (Botswana) (PTI): Amoj Jacob and Ragul Kumar got injured during the men's 4x400m and 4x100 races respectively as India ended their World Athletics Relays campaign in disappointment on the second day of competitions here on Sunday.
The Indian camp had high hopes of making the 2027 World Championships in the men's 4x400m relay but the team did not finish (DNF) the race as Jacob suffered cramps and pulled out of the race after taking the baton from the first leg runner Dharamveer Choudhary. Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK were to run in the third and fourth legs.
Those teams which could not qualify for the 2027 Beijing World Championships by reaching the final round of each of the six relay events on Saturday were given another chance in the second qualification round on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the two heats (in all six relay events) booked the Beijing ticket on Sunday.
India will now have to try and qualify for the World Championships through the Top Lists of the World Athletics, which is a long and tedious process.
In the men's 4x100m race, third leg runner Ragul Kumar fell down the track after failing to hand over the baton inside the exchange zone to fourth leg runner Gurindervir Singh, which clearly showed the lack of coordination among the runners.
Harsh Santosh Raut and Animesh Kujur ran the first two legs.
The Indian quartet was disqualified and Kumar was seen being taken away from the Field of Play with the help of the volunteers.
It was a comedy of errors in the case of the women's 4x100m race, which saw the baton being dropped during an exchange between first leg runner Tamanna and second runner Nithya Gandhe, though the Indians finished the race in 53.09 seconds.
Gandhe started running quite a distance, but after realising that the baton was not in her hand, she turned and ran back to pick it up.
The only silver-lining for the Indian contingent was the national record time in the mixed 4x100m relay race, though the quartet of Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha SS finished sixth in heat number two with a time of 41.35 seconds, bettering the previous national mark of 42.30 seconds set in March in Chandigarh.
The mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Theerthesh P Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William and Rashdeep Kaur ended at fifth in heat number one with a time of 3 minutes and 19.40 seconds.
On Saturday, all the five Indian relay teams had failed to make it to the respective final rounds and thus missed out on the 2027 World Championships berths.
