Karnataka Not Under Covid Fourth Wave, Says Health Minister As India Sees Uptick In Caseload

The southern state on Tuesday logged 62 fresh Covid cases and zero fatalities, taking the total count to 39,46,484 and the toll to 40,057.

Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar (Image: Twitter/@mla_sudhakar)

New Delhi: In the wake of a possible fourth wave of Covid-19, Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday said as of now, there was no such situation in the state and the government is taking all necessary steps to prevent it.

According to a report by news agency PTI, Sudhakar, advising people to wear masks, said, “There is a report that the number of (COVID) infections have increased in Delhi and few other north Indian states in the last two weeks, but such a situation does not exist in Karnataka. We are closely monitoring things.”

Speaking on the tests and genome sequencing being conducted as per norms, the minister said, “We are in contact with other states as well, and are gathering all the required information. We are also gathering information about the fourth wave in foreign countries, and are taking all the necessary precautions to see to it that things don't go out of control.”

Asked whether there has been a surge in infections in the state, Sudhakar said, “We are taking all the precautionary measures, at the international airports and are asking people to wear masks in enclosed public spaces. Also, about 30 lakh people have not taken second dose of vaccination, they will have to take, and those above 18 years who are required to take the third dose should take it at the earliest, so that we will be able to control the fourth wave in case it comes, as effectively as we did during the third wave.”

He also added that the government will take certain decisions depending on the number of cases in the coming weeks. “As of now it (wearing masks) is not mandatory, but we have issued an advisory to wear them as a precautionary measure.”

Meanwhile, the southern state on Tuesday logged 62 fresh Covid cases and zero fatalities, taking the total count to 39,46,484 and the toll to 40,057.

Notably, the country clocked 2,067 fresh cases and 40 deaths over the last 24 hours. This is the second time this week that India's daily Covid tally breached the 2000-mark.