Karnataka may have up to 25,000 active cases by Aug 15: COVID War Room chief
Bengaluru: Active coronavirus cases in Karnataka may reach around 25,000 by August 15 if the state maintains the current compounded daily growth rate of 4 percent, a senior government official said on Monday while stressing the need to stick to social distancing and wearing masks to contain the spread of the virus.
The projections are so sensitive that if the daily growth rate is at 3 percent then active numbers can reach 17,000 but if it is at 4 percent then the state could see around 25,000 cases in about 50-60 days, Munish Moudgil, chief of Karnataka COVID-19 War Room, said in a statement.
The state currently has 9,150 cases of which 3,391 are active cases, 5,618 discharges, and 137 deaths.
The compounded daily growth rate as of Sunday (for the past five days) stood at four percent, according to official figures.
"I wish to state that expected active cases by August 15th are about 20,000-25,000," Moudgil.
He, however, underlined that it is extremely difficult to make accurate projections, particularly beyond 15-20 days because it depends on the behavior of individual citizens post unlocking the lockdown, as well as the action, was taken by the government.
Moudgil has recommended three action points for the administration which include tracing all contacts of every patient within 24 hours and effectively quarantining them.
His second suggestion is that every inter-state passenger should be effectively quarantined for 14 days and third is increased tests and also a quality which means selecting and testing vulnerable and infectious groups.
Highlighting the role of people in the fight against coronavirus, he said citizens can make a major difference by observing norms like masking up, washing hands, and other hygiene and social distancing.
"Positive part of this is that every successful effort to reduce the growth rate will exponentially reduce numbers.
Conversely, any slip up makes us pay heavily," he cautioned.
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K'taka MLAs group photoshoot triggers speculation about leadership change, cabinet rejig
Bengaluru (PTI): A group photoshoot of Karnataka MLAs on Wednesday triggered speculation about a possible leadership change and cabinet reshuffle in the state.
The timing of the group photoshoot gave rise to speculation, as such an exercise is generally held during the end of the Assembly's five years tenure, which is 2028 in this case.
While some, including those in the ruling party and opposition, linked it to the possibility of a CM change in the days ahead, there is also speculation linking it to the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle.
There are also talks within the ruling party circles that Speaker U T Khader arranged the group photoshoot because he is likely to be inducted into the cabinet during the rejig.
Interestingly, when the Speaker announced the group photoshoot in the House on Tuesday and invited MLAs to attend the same, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, addressing the Chair, expressed surprise about its timing.
Trying to take a dig at the ruling party, the opposition BJP posted the group photo on 'X' and asked the Congress, "This is CM Siddaramaiah's outgoing photo shoot, isn't it?"
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka in the Assembly, poking fun at Speaker Khader said, "I have doubts about him (Khader). Usually, group photoshoots are done at the end of five years. I think he feels his tenure as Speaker is ending, so he wants to keep the photo ready before that."
He asked CM Siddaramaiah to tell the House as how longer Khader will be the Speaker.
Siddaramaiah responded by saying Khader will be Speaker until the high command decides.
Ashoka, laughingly, retorted, saying Khader was desiring and dreaming of becoming a minister. Khader responded by saying "No, nothing like that."
Congress MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar, questioning what's wrong if the photo shoot is held now, told reporters, "Speaker Khader may have expectations to become a minister and he may become a minister....I too have similar expectations for myself."
Amid the ongoing power struggle within the ruling Congress fueled by speculation about a chief minister change, some Congress MLAs have been pushing for a cabinet rejig for some time, with several aspirants openly expressing their wish to be inducted.
Karnataka has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister. Two cabinet berths are currently vacant, following the resignation of B Nagendra over allegations of embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and the sacking of K N Rajanna on the instructions of the party high command.
The speculation about leadership change has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
