36 new COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, tally touches 1,092

As many as 36 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Karnataka on Saturday, taking the infection tally to 1,092, a Karnataka Minister said.

The total cases include 496 discharges, 559 active cases and 36 coronavirus deaths, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in the State, told reporters.

He added that 13 coronavirus patients are in the Intensive Care Units (ICU).

According to the health department bulletin, 14 COVID-19 cases were reported in Bengaluru urban district alone, followed by eight in Kalaburagi, three in Shivamogga, three in Hassan and one case each in Mandya, Udupi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Davangere, Ballari and Davangere.

The cases include two women and a one-year-old girl from Udupi.

The biggest contributor of today's tally was Bengaluru with the cases being the secondary contact of a house-keeper of a hotel in the city, health department sources said.

The three positive cases from Hassan and one from Dharwad had travel history to Mumbai whereas the Udupi girl had returned from Dubai.

The Minister said the health department has issued a circular regarding those who returned from foreign countries that they will have to quarantine twice for a total of 28 days -- one at the quarantine centre and second as home quarantine after reaching their respective districts.

"Even if they test negative for COVID-19 at the quarantine centre, they will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days," the minister explained.

According to the circular, the travellers will have to arrange for their travel and the police will issue passes for them.

These passengers will have to coordinate with the COVID-19 nodal officer.

Kumar said the Union Home Ministry has issued a circular on the migrant labourers that they should not be allowed to walk on the railway track or road.

Instead, arrangements should be made to send them by special trains and special buses, he said.

The minister said a patient, who had committed an offence by escaping from a containment zone here, would be booked for violating the COVID-19 guidelines.

Regarding the alleged substandard food to those quarantined in hotels, Suresh Kumar said the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (city civic body) will make sure to take the case to the logical end.

"Those quarantined in the hotels are our guests and we cannot allow such incidents to happen," the minister added.