COVID-19: Karnataka makes wearing of face masks mandatory in indoor locations
Belagavi(KTK), Dec 22: The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to conduct mandatory testing of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in the state amid a spurt in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the world, including China.
The government also decided to make face masks mandatory in closed spaces and airconditioned rooms. The two per cent random testing of international passengers arriving in the state will continue until revised directions from the Centre, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said.
"We are going to issue advisory to wear masks in indoor locations, closed spaces and air-conditioned rooms. Also, there will be mandatory testing of ILI and SARI cases across Karnataka," Sudhakar said briefing reporters after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on COVID-19.
The meeting was attended by ministers, health department officials and the members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on COVID-19.
Sudhakar said that it was also decided in the meeting to open dedicated Covid wards in all district hospitals with sufficient beds and supply of Oxygen.
There will also be a coordination with private hospitals and super speciality hospitals for reserving beds to treat Covid patients as existed during the peak of COVID a year ago, he added.
In view of fresh outbreak of COVID-19 in countries like China, the state government decided to review its preparedness and the measures to be taken to check any such occurrence in the state.
The government decided to set up special camps across Karnataka to improve the booster dose coverage from the existing 20 to 60 per cent within a month. In this connection, the state will coordinate with the Centre for additional stock of booster doses.
In order to check its readiness, the government planned to hold drills in all government and private hospitals to test the condition of oxygen generators, supply networks and the functioning of oxygen cylinders.
All samples from positive patients are to be sent to the labs for genomic sequencing.
I appeal to all people to dispel misinformation and apprehension about vaccines and ensure that everyone is vaccinated with three doses.
— Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) December 22, 2022
I assure that our govt will do whatever it takes to mitigate the pandemic. Let us together defeat the virus.
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Badoni, Pooran lift LSG to 165/4 against SRH
Hyderabad, May 8: Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers started brilliantly before losing the plot as Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran joined hands to guide Lucknow Super Giants to a competitive 165 for four on a sluggish pitch in an Indian Premier League match here on Wednesday.
Electing to bat, LSG were in all sorts of trouble at 66 for 4 in 11.2 overs before Badoni (55 not out off 30 balls) and Pooran (48 not out off 25 balls) stitched crucial 95-runs off 55 balls for the unbeaten fifth-wicket stand.
LSG were struggling at 27 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.
The visitors lost Quinton de Kock, who replaced an injured Mohsin Khan, failed to deliver, caught brilliantly by Nitish Kumar Reddy at deep backward square-leg off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/12) in the third over.
Bhuvneshwar struck again in the fifth over, dismissing the dangerous Marcus Stoinis but the credit for the dismissal goes to young Sanvir Singh, who took a stunning diving catch just inches from the ground at mid-on.
The pitch also didn't help LSG's cause as the ball was a bit slow and was stopping, as their batters found it difficult to find timing.
While skipper KL Rahul (29) held one end up, Krunal Pandya (24) took it on himself to up the ante.
Krunal pummelled Jaydev Unadkat for a six over long-on and then hit the bowler straight over his head for another maximum to accumulate 15 runs in the eighth over.
Rahul hit the first boundary of LSG innings in the 10th over, slamming SRH skipper Pat Cummins over mid-off.
But Rahul never looked at his usual best as he struggled to get his timing and finally departed in search of quick runs, caught by T Natarajan at deep backward square leg in the final delivery of the same over.
SRH were brilliant on the field as Cummins' direct throw from mid-on sent Krunal packing soon when the batter went for a quick single single.
Badoni pressed the feet on accelerator soon with three boundaries of left-arm pacer Natarajan's 14th over which yielded 17 runs.
The Lucknow side finally got going as Pooran and Badoni struck a six and a four to accumulate 12 runs off the 15th over bowled by leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.
They showed their intent from the word go and didn't hesitate to play their strokes when the opportunity was presented to them.
It was brilliant batting from Badoni as he swept and cut Natarajan for two consecutive boundaries in the 17th over with the deck seemed to have got better.
Badoni displayed some cheeky shots as the right-hander notched up his fifty in 28 balls.
