Health authorities in Karnataka stated eight people in the state were isolated in hospitals and were tested for coronavirus on Friday. The number of people being monitored increased from five to eight after cases emerged in Hassan, Vijayapura and Udupi.
Four people are being monitored in Bengaluru while one person each in Hassan, Bidar, Vijayapura and Udupi are also under observation, a statement by the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department stated. No positive case has been detected in the state yet.
"It is another day of good news that there are no positive cases of coronavirus. The health department is working in a disciplined manner... Three people were admitted to hospitals after they appeared to show symptoms of the disease. They will be tested for the virus but none of them have tested positive so far," Dr K Sudhakar, Medical Education Minister told reporters on Friday.
469 people in the state are currently under home quarantine, including people who travelled to coronavirus-affected countries and the contacts of the positive cases. They are among 717 people identified for observation by the health department. 236 people have completed 28 days of home quarantine. 343 people were tested after they reported to hospitals with symptoms of the virus. 296 samples tested were negative, as per the update issued on Friday.
Screening of travellers at the Bengaluru International Airport continued with 3025 people screened on Thursday. A total of 49,594 passengers have been screened ever since procedures were put in place on January 21. Screening is also being conducted at the Mangaluru International Airport and seaports in Mangaluru and Karwar.
The state government on Thursday advised everyone arriving in the state from coronavirus-affected countries to be quarantined at home for at least 14 days. Travellers from 86 countries are being asked to quarantine themselves.
The state government also strengthened the capacity of the helpline number — 104 — by expanding the call centre to 10 lines per each shift. Meetings were held with mall owners association and club associations in Bengaluru. Instructions were sent to display Covid-19 awareness messages at all gram panchayats in the state.
As per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the central government, lab-testing for coronavirus will be done for people with symptoms (cough, cold, running nose or difficulty in breathing) and having travel history to any of coronavirus-affected countries during last 14 days or those who have had contact with coronavirus-positive persons.
The state has been on high alert since Tuesday when a 24-year-old techie from Hyderabad, who worked in Bengaluru, tested positive for the virus. The techie had returned to Bengaluru from Dubai on February 20 and spent a day in Bengaluru before travelling to Secunderabad near Hyderabad by bus on 22 February. A few days later, he developed a fever and tested positive for the virus. This prompted the Karnataka and Telangana governments to trace everyone he may have come in contact with.