The government is also making arrangements to bringback those from the state, including migrant workers strandedin Gujarat by buses.
A plan of action is also getting ready on theprocedures to be followed when the centre brings back Indians,including 10,823 from the state, stranded abroad.
"Already media persons and frontline policepersonnel are undergoing COVID-19 tests, today's new circularis for frontline government employees," Minister S SureshKumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in Karnataka, toldreporters.
Stating that officers and staff of otherdepartments, who have been working hand-in-hand with thehealth department might be at a risk of exposure tocoronavirus infection, he said it has been decided to go forone time linear screening of all those frontline officers andworkers of Benagaluru city to begin with.
In Bengaluru, the tests will be conducted at the KCGHospital.
A 73-year-old man from Tumakuru became the 21stCOVID-19 related fatality, taking the the death toll to 21 inKarnataka, where 12 new positive cases were confirmed onWednesday.
With this, the total number of infections in thestate have gone up to 535.
The elderly patient had complaints of Severe AcuteRespiratory Infection (SARI) and past history of COPD (arespiratory disease), Asthma and Diabetes, the healthdepartment said, adding that he was admitted on April 25 anddied at a designated hospital in Tumakuru .
According to the health department's bulletin, as of5:00 PM on April 29, cumulatively 535 COVID-19 positive caseshave been confirmed in the state and it includes 21 deaths and216 discharges.
It said, out of 297 active cases, 290 patients arein isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, whileseven are in ICU.
"In last five days number of positive cases is 60,number of discharges is 64, so since last 5 days rate ofgrowth is 1.25 per cent in the state," Kumar said.
Nine patients, who have recovered, have beendischarged on Wednesday.Out of them eight are from Mysuru andone from Belagavi.
Among the 12 new cases, including the dead, who havereported positive, five are children (below the age of 18).
This includes four girls in the age group of 4-17years, while one is a 12 year-old-boy.
While, 10 cases are contacts of patients alreadytested positive, one each are with history of Influenza LikeIllness(ILI) and SARI.
Eight out of total twelve cases are fromKalaburagai, and one each are from Hukkeri in Belagavidistrict, Davangere, Tumakuru and Nanjanaguru (Mysuru).
Contact tracing has been initiated and is inprogress for all the cases, the department said.
From across the state most number of infections havebeen reported in Bengaluru urban with 131 cases, followed byMysuru 88 and Belagavi 53.
Out of a total of 216 patients discharged so farthe maximum of 58 is from Bengaluru, 56 from Mysuru, elevenfrom Chikkaballapura.
Among the dead five each are from Bengaluru urbanand Kalaburagi, two each from Chikkaballapura, DakshinaKannada, Tumakuru and Vijayapura, and one each from Belagavi,Bagalkote and Gadag.
A total of 55,404 samples were tested, out of which4,892 were tested on Wednesday alone.
So far 53,241 samples have reported as negative,4,733 alone today.
Responding to a question about bringing back themigrant workers among others who are stranded in other states,the minister said, as on today arrangements are being made tobring back those stranded in Gujarat by buses.
"Planning is underway for other states too as to howto bring them back," he added.
A plan of action is also getting ready to bring backIndians, including 10,823 from Karnataka, stranded abroad.
"Government of India has taken decision to allowIndian citizens to come back to India from abroad.
As far as the information we have from Karnatakatotal 10,823 people are stranded abroad-- tourists andvisitors 4,408, students 3,074, migrants and professionals2,784, ship crew 557," he said.
Stating that 6,100 people will be returning earlyfrom abroad, Kumar said preparations have been done in thestate with regard to screening, quarantine and treating themby categorising them on the basis of their health.
"The approximate break up given to us include- 328passengers from Canada, 927 from USA, 2,575 from UAE, 414 fromQatar and 927 from Saudi Arabia," he added. KSU BNWELCOME BNWELCOME