Covid-19 fears resurface in K’taka, health dept orders mock drills at hospitals

BENGALURU: As fears of the Covid-19 pandemic have resurfaced in Karnataka after several people in neighbouring Kerala have been infected by the new JN.1 variant, the state health department has ordered mock drills to be conducted at all government hospitals to ensure the preparedness of the medical infrastructure in case of an emergency.

Concerns have also been raised over the monitoring of the movement of people from Kerala to the border districts of Karnataka.

The health department has ordered 3 lakh medical kits and increased the number of rapid antigen tests (RAT) in the state, especially in bordering regions and the state capital Bengaluru.

The mock drills is being conducted to ensure the availability of beds, staff, doctors, the proper functioning of oxygen plants, as well as crucial medicine in case of outbreak of a pandemic situation.

Meanwhile, the District Commissioners of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, and the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, bordering Kerala, have held meetings to tackle the evolving situation.

Thousands of students, businessmen, and people visit Mangaluru city in the Dakshina Kannada district every day.

There are more than 20 entry points, apart from highways, to the coastal region of Karnataka, and concerns have been raised about the absence of monitoring of symptomatic persons.

Authorities are preparing to start monitoring the movement of passengers from the Bavali check post to Mysuru city.

Sources in the health department have said that there is uncertainty over the current situation.

However, the authorities are yet to make a decision regarding screening of passengers from Kerala with symptoms.