Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday held a virtual meeting with MLAs and MPs about the issues and challenges faced in the state in curtailing the spread of the coronavirus.
The conference, which lasted for three hours, was joined by MLAs and MPs of Mysore, Hassan, Belagavi, Kalaburgi and Vijayapura districts.
According to an official statement, during the meeting, the Chief Minister instructed to control the positivity rate to less than 10 per cent and also to reduce the current death rate of 1.7 per cent in the state.
Yediyurappa further stressed that on reduction of Covid-19 cases reported from Bengaluru Urban, Mysore, Tumkur, Hassan and Bellary districts, which amount to 60 per cent of cases in Karnataka. Moreover, necessary action in controlling the death rate should be taken, said the Chief Minister.
"The government cannot sit hand tied due to an overall decrease in the cases in Karnataka. The rate of the Covid-19 cases is increasing in rural areas and we need to focus on this issue," he said.
The Chief Minister suggested that instead of home isolating the infected persons, they must be convinced to get admitted to Covid Care Centres in rural areas.
"The elected representatives and MPs play an important role in drastically reducing the number of cases by conducting tests, identifying the infected people and in providing timely treatment in their constituencies. Treatment facilities, medicines, oxygen, and other equipment with regard to treating the patients must be supplied and distributed in proportion to the demand. Resources must be judiciously used and there must be no room for problems," BS Yediyurappa said.
The Legislators and MPs briefed the Chief Minister regarding several grass root level problems that they have faced in tackling the second wave of the virus, to which the Chief Minister assured immediate resolution.
On former minister HD Revanna's request to release a grant of Rs 25 lakhs, BS Yediyurappa responded that the state government has already released Rs 50 lakhs under the Legislators Area Development Fund and has also permitted to use the amount.
The press release stated that a discussion was held regarding the shortage of doctors in the state, to which the Chief Minister said the government has already initiated the process of recruiting 1,200 doctors and assured that the problem would soon be resolved.
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, BS Yediyurappa said, "There are no talks on lockdown extension. We will think about it on June 5."
As per Karnataka's health bulletin issued on Friday, the state has 3,72,373 active cases of Covid-19. The total positive cases registered in the state stands at 25,46,821.
( With inputs from ANI )
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