8 of Karnataka Deputy CM Karjol's family COVID positive, son on ventilator

Bengaluru, Oct 19: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol has said eight members of his family have contracted coronavirus including his son Dr Gopal Karjol, who is on ventilator for the past 23 days.

In a long Twitter post, Karjol explained his inability to take up a long journey to physically monitor the flood situation in Bagalkote and Kalaburagi.

"My son Dr Gopal Karjol is on ventilator for the past 23 days (due to coronavirus). My wife recently came out of the hospital after recovering from the coronavirus infection. I too recovered from COVID after staying in the hospital for 19 days. In all, eight members of my family had contracted coronavirus," Karjol said in his post.

Karjol is an MLA from Mudhol in Bagalkote and is district in charge minister of Bagalkote and Kalaburagi.

Both districts have been affected by floods.

The situation in Kalaburagi is severe due to the Bhima river.

Karjol said he was not venturing out unless there was an urgency.

He also said he has been advised by the doctors not to take up long and tiring journeys due to which he is not going to flood-affected areas.

However, he is in touch with the district administration and is monitoring the flood situation sitting at home.

Karjol had contracted the infection when the Assembly session was in progress in the state from September 21 to September 26.

He is among those ministers, MLAs, and other public representatives who were infected with the virus.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, another Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Forest Minister Anand Singh, Social Welfare Minister B Sriramulu, BJP National General secretary C T Ravi, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar, Agriculture Minister B C Patil, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar were among those infected by the virus.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, cumulatively 7,65,586 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 10,478 deaths and 6,45,825 discharges.