BENGALURU SUNDAY APRIL 26, 2020 `7.00 PAGES 24 LATE CITY EDITION NO EVIDENCE TO RULE OUT ‘IMMUNITY PASSPORTS NOT A SOUND IDEA’ MAY RAISE RISK OF CONTINUED SPREAD The warning from the Geneva-based UN health body came after some ■ WHO warned that those who are given such certificates would REINFECTION, WARNS WHO countries and businesses proposed the idea of “immunity passports” that assume they are immune to reinfection and may ignore health 367 would allow those who’ve recovered from the disease to travel freely. “No advice thereby raising the risks of continued virus transmission The WHO said on Saturday there’s no evidence that those study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 ■ In recent days, authorities in the US, Germany, Italy and Chile POSITIVE CASES PER MILLION PEOPLE who’ve recovered from Covid-19 are immune to reinfection confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus,” the WHO said said they are studying the idea of granting immunity passports WORLDWIDE AS OF SATURDAY CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI K’taka now has Despite surge in cases, State’s recovery rate is heartening 500 COVID-19 RAMU PATIL @Bengaluru THOUGH the State has seen a sudden surge in the COVID-19 positive cases positive cases in the last two days, here is some cheering news. The recovery percentage Bengaluru adds 13 to the count in a single in the state seems to be much day, 13 more cases from other districts better compared to many other states — and even the all-India figure. EXPRESS NEWS SERVIC@ Bengaluru 52-year-old female, a six-year- With 158 discharges for the old child and a 27-year-old fe- total 500 cases, the recovery THE state capital was on top of male. So far, 29 patients have percentage, on Saturday, the COVID-19 table on Satur- been linked to Patient 419. stands at around 31.6 per cent. Hoping against hope, a woman waits with her luggage in front of the divisional day, recording 13 of the 26 fresh The three other cases from Although Karnataka is way railway offices in Bengaluru, for train services to resume following the partial cases from across the state. Bengaluru Urban are contacts behind its neighbouring state easing of lockdown restrictions on Saturday | PANDARINATH B With this, Karnataka touched of Patients 465, a 45-year-old fe- Kerala — which has a remark- the 500-mark of coronavirus male with SARI. They include able 73.39 per cent recovery All the states across India pared to many other states,” he cases. The other cases were re- two 27-year-old males and one record — it is much better follow the same national guide- added. ported from Mandya, Chikka- 66-year-old female. than the national recovery lines on hospitalization. Nor- Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, ballapur, Bantwal, Mysuru, Elsewhere, nine cases are percentage of around 20.88 mally, patients require around Chairman, Manipal Hospitals, Nanjangud, Bengaluru Urban secondary contacts of Patient A doctor in personal protective equipment goes about his work at Victoria per cent. Maharashtra, which two weeks of hospitalization, too, said early detection is one and Belagavi. 128, a 20-year-old from Hire- Hospital in Bengaluru. Following initial hiccups, the hospital now has reported a high number of but many take 20-22 days and of the key reasons and age is Among the 13 positive bagewadi in Belagavi dis- sufficient PPEs for its medical staff | SHRIRAM B N positive cases, has much less- some may even require more also a factor. “Karnataka is a cases in Bengaluru was trict who had attended er recovery percentage of time, said a specialist treating very progressive state with a 34-year-old camera the Tablighi Jamaat around 14.03. Telangana (25.71 COVID-19 patients. good healthcare facilities. It is person from the elec- congregation in Delhi MYSURU: A 72-year-old man per cent) and Andhra Pradesh Before discharging a pa- possible that we see patients tronic media, which last month. The pa- KARNATAKA from a village in Nanjangud taluk (16.11 per cent) too are lagging tient, two tests are done within early and obviously recovery Express had reported tients are a 45-year-old COVID-19 UPDATE with no travel history, tested behind Karnataka. Tamil a span of 24 hours and both rate is better,” he said. in its Saturday’s edi- male, a 38-year-old positive for COVID-19. It is said Nadu with 49.34 per cent re- tests have to be negative. Even Kerala, which has been do- TEST POSITIVE that he may have contracted the tion. The Health Depart- male, an 80-year-old fe- 26 ON SATURDAY covery is second to Kerala after discharge from hospitals, ing well in terms of fighting ment said that other male, a 55-year-old female, a virus from Jubilant Pharma where among the southern states, they will be observed for an- the COVID-19 pandemic, seems camera persons and reporters 42-year-old female, a 39-year-old many had tested positive with Karnataka taking the other 14 days under supervi- to have learnt from its experi- from media houses have been female, a 20-year-old male, an BELAGAVI: Of the 54 people third place. sion of state surveillance offi- ence of handling Nipah virus. listed as his primary contacts eight-year-old boy and a who tested positive in the Experts, who are part of the cials. They will be tested again “Kerala in general had a good and are being checked. 30-year-old female. district, all except two had links state task force leading the if they show symptoms. experience, probably learnt Nine more contacts of the A 37-year-old man from Man- to Delhi’s Tablighi Jamaat fight against COVID-19, say “From the beginning, our from the Nipah virus outbreak 54-year-old migrant labourer dya, who is a contact of Patient congregation. The two other various factors including early state’s preparedness has been (May 2018) as the state was the (Patient 419) from Hongasan- 78, and another 38-year-old cases were of an anganwadi detection help in early recov- good and early detection is one epicentre. Karnataka too is do- dra ward in Bengaluru tested male who is a contact of Pa- worker and a retired police ery, and the cases reported late of the important factors that ing good,” he added. positive on Saturday of whom tient 52, the Nanjangud phar- constable are the ones having more com- ensures fast recovery,” Direc- Dr Ballal, however, has a is a 90-year-old male, the oldest ma company employee, also plications. Late or early con- tor of Rajiv Gandhi Institute word of caution for the author- patient in the state so far. The tested positive. A 50-year-old DAKSHINA KANNADA: A version — from being COV- of Chest Diseases (RGID) Dr C ities and the public. “Corona is others include a 37-year-old woman from Nanjangud, who 500 33-year-old woman tests ID-19 positive to negative — also Nagaraja told The New Sun- very limited in India, but we Total positive 18 158 positive. Her mother contracted male, a 21-year-old male, a was in contact with Patient 382, cases as on Total Recoveries depends on factors like the vi- day Express. “Good contain- can’t let our guard down as 17-year-old male, a 19-year-old a secondary contact of Patient Saturday Deaths so far the disease a few days ago ral load and immunity status ment measures have helped that will be a big mistake. We female, a 28-year-old male, a 52, has also tested positive. P4, 5 of infected individuals. keep numbers much less com- have to be watchful.” Union govt ALLOW STATES TO Relaxation for shops with low footfall BORROW DIRECTLY Mysuru’s KR Hospital FROM RBI: KERALA FM shelves plan SANA SHAKIL @ New Delhi have been given in areas where masks and maintaining social the footfall tends to be low, of- distancing will be mandatory. The COVID-19 outbreak and gasps with SARI cases to use rapid A day after the Centre an- ficials said. For rural areas, Speaking to TNSE, BBMP nationwide lockdown have hit nounced relaxation in lock- the government clarified that Commissioner B H Anil Kumar the finances of states hard, AJITH M S @ Mysuru The spike is not connected down rules for shops selling “all shops, except those in shop- said that as per the MHA noti- and Kerala is no exception. Its to COVID-19, but is being at- anti-body kits non-essential goods, the Minis- ping malls are allowed to open”. fication, only standalone shops finance minister Thomas Isaac, THE century-old KR Hospital, tributed to the refusal by pri- try of Home Affairs on Satur- The new relaxations, however, in neighbourhoods including known for his economic sense a lifesaver for people from vate hospitals to admit SARI SUMI SUKANYA DUTTA day clarified that only stan- will not be applicable to hotspot ice cream parlours, shops sell- and straight talk, is under Mysuru and adjoining dis- and related cases due to the @ New Delhi dalone shops, neighbourhood areas or containment zones. ing electronic goods, electrical pressure to maintain fiscal tricts, is now facing an un- coronavirus scare. A few hos- shops and shops in residential The Union Home Ministry repair shops and other essen- prudence and, at the same precedented challenge.