Karnataka CM Bommai warns of looming threat to children during third COVID wave after 543 kids test positive

By Team Newsable | First Published Aug 13, 2021, 3:39 PM IST

As a result, the state government has set up a 'Vathsalya' scheme in Udupi and Haveri districts to completely monitor children.

Observing the steadily rising in Covid-19 cases in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called for an emergency meeting on Friday.

During the meeting, Bommai said experts have warned about the impending threat to children during the third wave of Covid, as they belong to the non-vaccinated group.

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As a result, the state government has set up 'Vathsalya' scheme in Udupi and Haveri districts to completely monitor children.

"We will organise paediatric health camps to check their nutritious strength and will give all necessary treatment for lack of nutrition and undergrowth," Karnataka Chief Minister added.

"We have provided training to all concerned officers working on the scheme and will try to protect children from this virus. All district hospitals have been instructed to arrange paediatric ICU," he said.

The meeting came after the Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) witnessed a whopping 543 cases of Covid-19 infection among children in the last ten days from August 1 to August 11.

However, no Covid-19 related death in the age group of 0-19 has been reported, and the infected children were mostly asymptomatic or had mild symptoms of the virus.

Meanwhile, the CM also chastised Dakshina Kannada district officials as the coastal region has emerged as a major Covid hotspot with soaring infections and fatalities.

Addressing the issue of shortage of masks and gloves for health workers in the line of duty to contain Covid-19. "How are you running the administration when you say there are no masks and gloves?" Bommai asked the deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra KV during a review meeting of Covid situation in the district.

Dakshina Kannada district bordering Kerala, continues to top the daily Covid-19 infections caseload in Karnataka, as the state reported 1,857 fresh infections and 30 deaths, taking the tally to 29.24 lakh and the toll to 36,911, according to the Health Department data on Thursday.

The state also saw 1,950 discharges, outnumbering fresh cases, pushing the total number of recoveries so far to 28,65,067.

With 475 new cases, Dakshina Kannada outnumbered the state capital Bengaluru Urban that reported 321 cases on Thursday. This is for the third consecutive day that Dakshina Kannada district has recorded the highest daily cases in the state.

NOTE: Asianet News humbly requests everyone to wear masks, sanitize, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Together we can and will break the chain #ANCares #IndiaFightsCorona

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