Second wave of COVID-19 has begun in Karnataka, next 3 months crucial

Bengaluru, Mar 21: Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Sunday said the second wave of coronavirus has begun and sought people''s cooperation to contain the disease.

"We are at the beginning of the second wave of coronavirus. Let us all join hands to control it because the next three months are crucial for us," Sudhakar told reporters here as the coronavirus cases started shooting up.

He said he would discuss with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa about the COVID-19 situation and measures to be taken.

He said the state Technical Advisory Committee on coronavirus has given clear guidelines to the government stating that people would be in for a trouble if certain activities were not controlled.

"We all will be responsible for the aftermath if the government and people do not respond to experts'' report," Sudhakar said.

To a question whether election-related activities would be among those needed to be under check, Sudhakar sought to know, "Can any activity be an excuse for coronavirus? Will it spare VIPs, political parties or religious congregations?"

The Minister underlined the need for an all-party meeting in view of the coronavirus situation since the byelections were round the corner and all the political parties would take part in it.

Sudhakar''s warning came as the cases in Karnataka shot upto 1,798 with seven deaths and Bengaluru urban district alone contributed 1,186 cases, including five deaths, on Saturday.

The Chief Minister too had appealed to the people to exercise caution as coronavirus was on the rise at an alarming proportion.