Bengaluru, May 16 () As many as 36 new coronaviruscases were confirmed in Karnataka on Saturday, taking theinfection tally to 1,092, a Karnataka Minister said.
The total cases include 496 discharges, 559 activecases and 36 coronavirus deaths, Minister for Primary andSecondary Education S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson forCOVID-19 in the State, told reporters.
He added that 13 coronavirus patients are in theIntensive Care Units (ICU).
According to the health department bulletin, 14COVID-19 cases were reported in Bengaluru urban districtalone, followed by eight in Kalaburagi, three in Shivamogga,three in Hassan and one case each in Mandya, Udupi, Dharwad,Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Davangere, Ballari and Davangere.
The cases include two women and a one-year-old girlfrom Udupi.
The biggest contributor of today's tally wasBengaluru with the cases being the secondary contact of ahouse-keeper of a hotel in the city, health department sourcessaid.
The three positive cases from Hassan and one fromDharwad had travel history to Mumbai whereas the Udupi girlhad returned from Dubai.
The Minister said the health department has issued acircular regarding those who returned from foreign countriesthat they will have to quarantine twice for a total of 28 days-- one at the quarantine centre and second as home quarantineafter reaching their respective districts.
"Even if they test negative for COVID-19 at thequarantine centre, they will have to undergo home quarantinefor 14 days," the minister explained.
According to the circular, the travellers will haveto arrange for their travel and the police will issue passesfor them.
These passengers will have to coordinate with theCOVID-19 nodal officer.
Kumar said the Union Home Ministry has issued acircular on the migrant labourers that they should not beallowed to walk on the railway track or road.
Instead, arrangements should be made to send them byspecial trains and special buses, he said.
The minister said a patient, who had committed anoffence by escaping from a containment zone here, would bebooked for violating the COVID-19 guidelines.
Regarding the alleged substandard food to thosequarantined in hotels, Suresh Kumar said the Bruhat BengaluruMahanagara Palike (city civic body) will make sure to take thecase to the logical end.
"Those quarantined in the hotels are our guests andwe cannot allow such incidents to happen," the ministeradded. GMS BNWELCOME BNWELCOME