Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai tests Covid positive

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that he has tested positive for Covid "with mild symptoms". He further said that his health is fine and he is under home quarantine.

“I have tested positive for COVID -19 today with mild symptoms. My health is fine, I am under home quarantine. I request everyone who have recently come in my contact to isolate themselves and get tested," the chief minister said.

Karnataka has witnessed a sharp rise in Covid cases due to new variant, Omicron. 

Today, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said 146 more cases of Omicron variant had been detected in the state. This took the state's tally of Omicron cases to 476.

"146 new cases of Omicron have been confirmed in Bengaluru today, taking the overall tally in Karnataka to 479," Sudhakar said in a tweet. 

The country’s first two Omicron cases were detected in the state on December 2.

Citing spike in cases in the state, the chief minister ruled out easing restrictions at places with less positivity rate. He instead stressed the need to take extra precautions.

"No...what I had said is that depending on the Covid spread we will take a decision. Now you are seeing, yesterday there were 12,000 cases in the state, nearly 9,000 were only in Bengaluru. Positivity rate in the state is at 6.8%, in Bengaluru it is 10%, in the whole country we are in third place," Bommai said.

After the cabinet meeting last week, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy had said that with plans to relax restrictions at places with less positivity rate, the government is likely to review the containment measures announced by it by January 14 or 15.