Bengaluru
The novel Coronavirus seems to be catching up with politicians in Karnataka. Yesteryear superstar Sumalatha, currently a Member of Parliament from Mandya, tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. She announced this on her Facebook page and added she will remain in home quarantine as she has mild symptoms. She is the wife of late actor-politician Ambareesh. Sumalatha had won in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll as an independent candidate with the support of the BJP from the region.
On the same day, Congress MLA Dr HD Ranganath from Kunigal constituency tested positive and was hospitalised at a Bengaluru private hospital.
Another senior Congress leader and former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary (83) from Mangaluru tested positive for virus. He is under treatment at a private hospital.
Meanwhile, following allegations from Congress lawmaker Sowmya Reddy that there was a huge backlog of samples to be tested, the Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare Monday admitted that there were around 40,000 samples which were pending last week due to which a separate committee was formed under the leadership of Additional Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to monitor the testing of samples in the state.
In another development, the state on Monday reported 1,843 fresh cases, taking the total to 25,317. Of the new cases, Bengaluru alone reported 981 cases. The state also continued to witness a spike in Covid-related deaths. On Monday, 30 patients lost their lives, taking the total deaths to 401.
Also, further modifying its Covid-19 quarantine norms, the Karnataka govt exempted those travelling to the state from Maharashtra from the mandatory 7 days of institutional quarantine.
