FIGHTBACK: Karnataka sets a War Room to tackle Covid-19, Andhra Pradesh for Truenat diagnostic tests

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<strong>Karnataka</strong></p>
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Karnataka reported a spike of 23,558 new Covid-19 cases taking the State’s total caseload to 12.22 lakhs. The day also saw 6,412 patients getting discharged after recovery. According to the Health Department a total of 10,32,233 discharges have taken place so far.</p>
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Bengaluru Urban accounted for 13,640 of the total number of cases.</p>
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On Wednesday the Karnataka government began operating a war room in Bengaluru to look into the supply of medical oxygen and Remdesivir at hospitals in Bengaluru.</p>
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In a tweet the Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said: “In order to ensure timely & sufficient supply of Oxygen and #Remdesivir a 24/7 war room has been established with staff working round the clock in 3 shifts.”</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/health-news/fighting-the-second-wave-of-covid-what-is-the-grand-strategy-82327.html">Fighting the second wave of Covid-19: What is the Grand Strategy?</a></strong></p>
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For the war room, as per the order issued by the State Drug Controller, 26 officers and government staff have been appointed. This is a significant development as shortage of medical oxygen was reported in several hospitals in the State and Bengaluru.</p>
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The war room will also address the issues pertaining to helping critically-ill patients get admitted to hospitals and to further treatment using Remdesivir, the antiviral drug used as an emergency measure to treat Covid-19 patients.</p>
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Taking initiative Bengaluru private hospitals have begun offering home care packages to Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms, who are eligible for home isolation. These range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 17,000.</p>
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Special home quarantine kits to patients are being provided to those availing this offer. These include vitals monitoring kit that contains a digital thermometer, an oximeter for measuring oxygen levels in blood and a digital BP measuring machine.</p>
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Patient consultations over phone or video, with doctors have been arranged along with nurses calling up patients twice a day for vital monitoring, follow-ups and feedback.</p>
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<strong>Andhra Pradesh</strong></p>
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The State of Andhra Pradesh reported about 9716 new positive cases as on Wednesday morning, taking the total number of cases to 9,86,703 cases. The recoveries has been increasing in the State and as many as 3359 more people recovered in the last 24 hours which takes the total recoveries to 9,18,985.</p>
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In a significant development, the Andhra Pradesh Covid Command Control Centre Chairman Jawahar Reddy has directed the district collectors to immediately increase the number of preliminary contact examinations in Andhra Pradesh.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://www.indianarrative.com/upload/news/Jawahar_Reddy_twitter_ANI.jpg" style="width: 720px; height: 576px;" /></p>
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<em>Andhra Pradesh Covid Command Control Centre Chairman Jawahar Reddy (Pic: Courtesy Twitter/@ANI) </em></p>
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Conducting the review online with the Collectors, Reddy said to take steps to carry out Truenat‌ tests for diagnosis as well and Reddy ordered the authorities to carry out large-scale Covid tests. The District Collectors were of the opinion that the situation will not come under control unless tests are carried out.</p>
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Reddy directed the authorities to remain vigilant 24 hours a day and immediately make Covid Care Centres available. He said that at present only 19,000 beds are available and directed to ensure that the remaining 19,000 beds are made available.</p>