Covid-19: Wear masks in crowded places, maintain physical distancing, says Karnataka govt
Bengaluru, May 31 (PTI): In the wake of recent increase in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Karnataka government on Saturday issued a public advisory, asking people to practice responsible behaviour by wearing masks in crowded places, maintaining physical distancing, and practicing good hygiene.
The public advisory on Covid-19 surveillance and safety was issued by the Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Services.
"In light of the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in Karnataka, the state continues to monitor and manage Covid-19 through on-going efforts to prevent transmission, detect cases, and provide care. The Department of Health and Family Welfare requests all citizens not to panic, but stay vigilant and actively support public health efforts," the advisory said.
Continued cooperation is crucial to detect and contain any new variants or potential outbreaks. "Your health is our priority," it said.
The public are advised to: "Stay Alert, Not Anxious: Stay informed through official sources, avoid unverified information. Share Information with Health Staff: Inform authorities about travelers from abroad for needful followup."
"Practice responsible behaviour: Wear masks in crowded places, maintain physical distancing, practice good hygiene," it further said, report symptoms early, and seek medical advice immediately if experiencing fever, cough, chest pain or breathing difficulty.
Asking to support testing and surveillance, the health department said cooperate with random testing and allow sample collection for surveillance.
Report unusual increases in Covid-19 like symptoms via the community monitoring tool of Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal, it said.
Reiterating for surveillance at schools by keeping sick children home, monitoring pupils for symptoms, promoting hygiene, ensuring proper ventilation, the advisory stressed on hygiene and environmental awareness by practicing good hygiene, disposing of waste properly, and keeping public areas clean.
Stating that the government is on alert, it said lead a normal life but follow advisories.
"Call toll-free helpline number 1800 425 8330 for health advice, and 108 for emergency patient transport. Together, we can quickly identify and control potential illnesses, keeping ourselves and our people safe," it said.
As of Friday evening, 234 Covid active cases have been reported in the state. Three patients with the infection, who had other comorbidities, have died since January 1.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
