Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government on Friday said 400 ambulances will be reserved for treating COVID-19 patients across 198 wards in Bengaluru. Furthermore, one lakh antigen test kits will be procured, and more task forces will be formed to ensure faster test results.

According to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, every ward will have two reserved ambulances. ‘About 785 extra beds will be identified in government hospitals for COVID patients. Guidelines will be issued for the handling of dead bodies,’ he told reporters.

The state COVID task force has also decided that all asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients can be isolated at home.

‘Asymptomatic patients, who have a separate room with an attached bathroom, will be quarantined at home. Only asymptomatic patients, who are vulnerable by age or do not have such facilities at home, will be admitted to COVID-19 Care Centres or hospitals. This will reduce the demand for ambulances significantly,’ Revenue Minister R Ashok, who is overseeing COVID-19 management in the city, was quoted by The Hindu.

While the home quarantine period will be for 17 days, if the patient has a fever in the last three days, it will be extended for seven more days.

Dr K Sudhakar, Medical Education Minister, said one lakh antigen test kits will be procured. ‘A total of 8,800 booth-level task forces will be formed across 28 Assembly constituencies of Bengaluru. IAS officer Shalini Rajneesh will head a task force that will ensure that test results come in 24 hours,’ he said.

Currently, the turnaround time for getting test reports is three to seven days. Bengaluru has so far reported 9,580 cases of COVID-19, of which 1,268 people have recovered, and 145 have succumbed to the virus.

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