From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 4: Chief Minister B SYediyurappa, who has been admitted in the Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru since Sunday after testing COVID-19 positive, held a review meeting with senior officials from his hospital bed by phone on issues pertaining to managing and containing the Corona pandemic besides discussing matters with regard to increasing the number of Ventilator connected beds in the State.

The Manipal Hospital authorities have already stated that the Chief Minister was responding to treatment and was recovering fast. He is expected to be in hospital for about 10 days.

The Chief Minister has informed the people through his staff that the State had received 681 ventilators from the Centre under the PM-CARES.

The Chief Minister held telephonic discussions with senior officials, and said the number of ventilator beds increased by 335 during last week in the State, including 166 in Bangalore.

The remaining 346 ventilators will be installed by the end of this week, he said.

A media release from the Chief Minister’ss office said another batch of 1279 ventilators allotted to Karnataka by the Central Government will be received during in August.

The Chief Minister has directed that all the ventilators should be installed immediately.

Yediyurappahas also directed the Health and Medical Departments to take steps for appointment of necessary staff such as anaesthetics, paramedics and nurses, who are required to utilise these ventilators as early as possible.

The chief minister instructed officials to consider the requests of private hospitals in Bangalore for ventilators which would be required for treating COVID-19 patients and decide the terms and conditions.

Meanwhile, the Heath and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu went to Manipal Hospital in the City and enquired about health of the Chief Minister as well as the Congress opposition leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also admitted in the same hospital.