Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai tests positive for COVID; under home quarantine

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai tested positive for novel coronavirus on Monday and is under home quarantine. Taking to the micro-blogging site, he urged people who came in close contact with him recently to isolate themselves and get tested. "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," Bommai said.

Last week, Karnataka imposed fresh guidelines in view of rising COVID-19 cases, As per the order, the schools and pre-university colleges except for Class 10 and Class 12 will be shut and night curfew will be imposed. 

Karnataka logs 1,698 new COVID cases

Besides this, restaurants, bars, pubs, malls and theatres will be allowed to open at 50% capacity. In the past 24 hours, Karnataka reported 11,698 new COVID-19 cases, 1148 recoveries, and four deaths.

Presently, the active cases in the state stand at 60,148, while the total death toll has reached 38,374. The total recoveries are at 29,65,105. The daily positivity rate is at 7.77%.

Earlier in the day, CM Bommai launched the COVID-19 precaution dose vaccination drive for healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with co-morbidities at Bengaluru's Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College.

After the launch, he said that 99% of the state's eligible population has been administered the first dose while 82% has received the second dose. "We are prepared with hospital and ICU beds to fight the pandemic," Bommai said.

In a press briefing earlier today, the joint Secretary of Health ministry Lav Aggarwal said that the Omicron variant is 70 times more transmissible in mature "but is a milder infection that requires home isolation at large and less hospitalisation." 

COVID vaccination in Karnataka

According to CoWin portal, Karnataka has administered 9,00,34,783 doses, including 5,00,83,381 first doses, 3,98,69,674 second doses and 81,728 precaution dose till 8 pm on Monday. The COVID-19 drive is taking place at more than 7000 centres. The maximum doses have been administered in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike region (1,59,04,530), followed by Belgaum (67,61,924), Mysore (46,11,506), Bellary (37,35,755) and Tumkur (36,33,374).

Image: Facebook/Basavaraj Bommai