Covid-19: With 12 more testing +ve, Karnataka has 150 active cases

Karnataka reported 12 positive cases of Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, including seven linked to Tablighi Jamaat members, taking the state's total tally to 150 excluding the ones who have been discharged so far. Of the remaining five, one person had a travel history to Dubai while the rest were primary contacts of patients diagnosed earlier. Twenty five patients have been discharged so far in the state.

All international passengers who came to Karnataka before the lockdown began have completed their home quarantine while 19,948 of those who flew down will remain under observation for another two weeks, said Karnataka education minister S Suresh Kumar, the spokesperson for Covid-19-related information. “Of the 30 districts, 12 have not reported a single case till now. The situation is under control even in hotspots like Nanjangud, Gouribidanur and Bhatkal. No new cases have been reported from these places,” the minister said. He said 4,030 isolation beds are available in the state. “We have 11 government laboratories to do the sample testing. In addition to the two existing private labs, ICMR has given approval to Sakra World Hospital Lab Services,” he said.

The state health department also issued a revised lab testing protocol on Tuesday that allows patients in containment zones with influenza like illness to undergo rapid antibody testing. The state is expected to receive the antibody test kits by the end of this week.