Only the sick, emergency cases can visit hospitals for next 2 weeks to halt spread of COVID-19, says Karnataka govt

Bengaluru, Jan 15 (PTI): In the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the State, the Karnataka government on Saturday said only the sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals for the next two weeks to prevent crowding.

The government has asked all the other patients with mild illness requiring outpatient or follow-up care not to visit hospitals till then or till further orders.

''In pursuant to the existing COVID-19 situation, it is hereby informed that only sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals/super-specialty hospitals and autonomous institutions,'' a notification from the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, T K Anil Kumar said.

All other patients with mild illness which requires outpatient care/ follow-up care/elective case including dental patients should not visit the hospitals for the next two weeks or till further orders to prevent crowding and the spread of COVID-19, it said.

Private hospitals have also been instructed to take similar steps.

The State has been registering a spike in cases. On Friday, there were 28,723 new cases, including 20,121 in the Bengaluru urban.