Over 3,000 beds reserved in Bengaluru hospitals to treat coronavirus patients
Bengaluru: Amid the rising COVID-19 cases here, over 3,000 beds in private hospitals have been reserved for treating patients while a 10,100-bed coronavirus care centre, the biggest in the country, has been set up, authorities said on Sunday.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said 3,331 beds in 72 private hospitals have been earmarked for COVID-19 patients. The city civic body - Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said the sprawling Bangalore International Exhibition Centre has been converted into a coronavirus care centre with 10,100 beds.
"Across Bengaluru, 3,331 beds have been reserved in 72 hospitals for treating coronavirus patients. By Saturday evening 733 beds were occupied and 2,598 beds were unoccupied," the Medical Education Minister tweeted. Recently, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had convened a meeting with private hospital owners during which he directed them to reserve at least 50 per cent beds to treat coronavirus cases.
The government had set a target to reserve at least 2,000 beds for coronavirus patients. However, the number has swelled to 3,331.
Meanwhile, BBMP Commissioner Anil Kumar on Sunday visited the coronavirus care centre at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre along with Yelahanka BJP MLA S R Vishwanath. "BIEC has been converted into a 10,100-bed COVID Care Centre. Visited the centre along with Hon'ble MLA @SRVishwanathBJP, @BBMPSWMJtComm & other #BBMP officials," Kumar tweeted. He also said the centre is well ventilated, has an adequate number of toilets, nursing stations, kitchens and other required facilities. The centre is ready to house asymptomatic patients, including children.
The BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), Sarfaraz Khan told P T I, "This is the biggest ever COVID care centre in the country. Delhi has a COVID care centre of 10,000 beds in Radha Soami Satsang." As many as 150 doctors will man the centre. Oxygen facilities will be available in some beds for patients who need it, he said. In addition, there will be adequate arrangements to shift the critically-ill patients to nearby hospitals, Khan added.
Bengaluru has seen the biggest ever spike in coronavirus cases in the past one week. The city has witnessed 8,345 positive cases, of which 7,250 are active cases. The city has so far reported 129 deaths due to the virus.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
