Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 25: Karnataka deputy chief minister (DCM) Dr C S Ashwath Narayan, confirmed that the threat of about 80,000 to 1 lac people from the state getting infected with the deadly coronavirus unless the speed of the infection is stopped through tight measures, is real.

During the discussions on coronavirus amid the proceedings in the state legislative council on Tuesday, leader of the opposition SR Patil, quoting a statement made by Dr Devi Shetty, drew the attention of the government to the risk of about 80,000 persons from the state getting infected unless the spread of the virus is not properly regulated through effective measures. He also quoted Dr Shetty as saying that about 17,000 ventilators would be needed. He questioned the rationale behind the government decided to buy 1,000 ventilators and wondered how can the government manage the situation with so few ventilators.

Dr Ashwath Narayan confirmed that Dr Devi Shetty indeed said that such a situation will arise if proper measures to control the virus are not taken and if the situation is allowed to continue as it is. "Because of this risk, the government has been utilising the services of private hospitals, lockdown, acquisition of masks on a large scale, and acquiring ventilators. He said that about 20,000 hotel rooms have already been readied for being used for quarantine purposes.

Explaining further the measures undertaken by the government to control the disease, he said that isolation hospitals would be set up in all the districts of the state to treat the affected people. "Initially, we planned to treat the affected people in general hospitals. But there is apprehension that the infection might spread further if the workforce including experts treat the patients in all hospitals. Initially, it was decided to set up nine isolation hospitals in the state, but now these hospitals will be formed in all the districts, and fever treatment clinics will be set up in all the taluks. Checks will be conducted only in these centres," he clarified.

The DCM said that private hospitals have agreed to set aside 30 per cent of beds for the treatment of coronavirus-affected people. He said if all the members of a family are found suffering from this infection, notices would be pasted to their homes so that the neighbours can be careful and close watch can be kept on the family's movements.

He confirmed that it has been decided to buy 1,000 ventilators, duly adding that 100 ventilators each would be provided by private hospitals and Infosys. Several other firms have also offered to provide ventilators. HAL has been asked to provide 14 lac three-layered masks. Steps have been taken to acquire 10 lac personal safety kits, and 5 lac N-95 masks. At the same time, he asked the people suffering fever not to approach the hospital directly but to come with the recommendation of doctors.