High alert in four Karnataka districts bordering Kerala

Bengaluru: Four Karnataka districts bordering Kerala -- Kodagu, Mangluru, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru -- have been put on high alert in the wake of positive coronavirus cases in Kerala.

"Kodagu, Mangluru, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts have been put on high alert for coronavirus monitoring," Kodagu district health officer K. Mohan told IANS.

Acting on state government orders, Mohan said the district health department is undertaking information and education activities in the district about the virus.

"We are explaining how coronavirus spreads and how to take precautionary measures. We have established a six bedded room for coronavirus in the district hospital and two beds each at Virajpet and Somvarpet," said Mohan.

The Kodagu district authorities also displayed coronavirus awareness posters and messages at bus stops, government hospitals and offices, including the bustling Raja Street.

Kodagu is located 250 km southwest of Bengaluru.

Aiming at restricting the movement of people between Karnataka and Kerala, Mohan said the district health department has requested the planters' associations to not move manpower.

"We have requested our planters' associations not to move manpower from Karnataka to Kerala and Kerala to Karnataka till February 15," said Mohan.

Additionally, the district health department has also kept a rapid response team on standby.

Mohan said Kodagu did not receive any migrant from China or a person who stayed in China thus far.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has ordered that anybody arriving from the 23 coronavirus affected countries must stay in isolation at home for 28 days in a state surveillance bulletin of the Karnataka health and family welfare department on Monday.

The home isolation requirement is irrespective of the virus symptoms.

As many as 426 coronavirus deaths have been reported in China so far.