K'taka government to conduct mock drills in hospitals after COVID surge in Kerala
Bengaluru: "Today we had a meeting with the officials where directions were issued to purchase testing kits through Karnataka Medical Supplies Corporation. We have asked officials to procure test kits, which includes RT-PCR tests, Rapid Antigen Test and VTM (Viral Transport Medium)," Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters here after a meeting with the officials of the Health department.
Officials have also been instructed to conduct mock drills in all the hospitals to check how many beds including ICU beds, oxygen availability and medicines, he added.
"I have told the officials to be prepared. Though the situation is not like that (alarming) and we should not think in that manner, we should be prepared in case the (COVID like) situation recurs. In the event of any shortcoming, it should be rectified now itself," Rao said.
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The Minister said he has convened a meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID on Tuesday. The TAC is headed by Dr K Ravi, who is the head of the department of medicine in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI).
"We should be prepared and not allow a disaster to happen. We were not prepared in the past but after having experienced it we should gear up now itself," Rao said.
This time only those showing symptoms of COVID will be tested and not everyone, the minister said.
He underlined the need to study how the virus and its sub-variants are behaving.
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Violence reported in several parts of Kerala after civic poll results
Kozhikode (PTI): Violence erupted overnight at various places across Kerala, particularly in northern districts, following the announcement of local body election results, police said.
In Eramala in Kozhikode district, tension prevailed throughout the night after the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, a Congress office, was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
A statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi was also damaged in the attack, police said. Soon after, UDF activists gathered at the spot, further aggravating the situation.
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However, with the deployment of additional police personnel, the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
Police said another violent incident was reported at Marad, where stones were allegedly pelted at a UDF victory procession, leaving several persons injured.
In Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, police registered a case after a car carrying a UDF activist and his family members was allegedly attacked by around 40 CPI(M) workers, an official said.
Sultan Bathery police also booked UDF activists in a separate incident for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker who objected to the bursting of crackers near his house, the officer said.
In Panoor in Kannur district, houses of several Muslim League activists were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers. Vehicles parked at the houses were also damaged.
According to Panoor police, the violence broke out after a UDF victory rally was allegedly stopped by CPI(M) workers armed with swords and daggers. Some UDF leaders sustained injuries in the clash.
Clashes were also reported between UDF and LDF workers at Ulikkal in Kannur district, though police intervention brought the situation under control later in the night, an officer in the Ulikkal police station said.
In Bedakom in Kasaragod district, an LDF victory march turned violent after CPI(M) activists allegedly intercepted UDF workers passing through the area. Some policemen who intervened suffered minor injuries, an officer said.
Similar violence was reported from Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers. Police said workers from both sides sustained minor injuries and were admitted to hospitals. Cases will be registered after formal complaints are received, police said.
