4 of 5 K’taka ministers who came in contact with infected video journalist, test negative

Team Udayavani, Apr 30, 2020, 7:22 AM IST

Bengaluru: Four out of five Karnataka ministers, who reportedly came in contact with the COVID-19 positive video journalist of a Kannada news channel recently, on Wednesday said they have tested negative for the virus.

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Kannada and Culture Minister C T Ravi and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar tweeted that their test reports have come out negative and they are under home quarantine.

“After being informed that I might have come in contact with a COVID-19 affected person, I have been in home quarantine.

I have tested negative, but will continue to be vigilant and take all necessary precautions,” Ashwath Narayan said in a tweet.

While Bommai said, he has taken a swab test and it has come out negative.

“I am under self quarantine and I am healthy.” Ravi said, “Even though I had no close interaction with him (camera man) during my meetings, I got myself tested on 28th April.

I am happy to share with You that I have tested negative for #CoronaVirus.” Sudhakar said he went for the test after hearing that the journalist with whom he interacted had tested positive.

“However as abundant precaution,I have decided to be in home quarantine for the next seven days and carry out my duties from home,” he tweeted.

The other minister has not responded so far, according to sources.

Earlier in the day, Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in Karnataka, told reporters that the five ministers are undergoing tests.

However, reports allege that the few of these ministers had flouted mandated quarantining and are going about with routine work.

Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar has questioned the government about ministers reportedly in contact with the video journalist not being quarantined, and termed it as “protocol violation”.

“A Kannada News channel”s cameraman is COVID +ve.His primary contacts include CM, DCM & Ministers.

Why aren”t they in quarantine? Isn”t it double standards by those who must set an example to citizens? This is a protocol violation.

This Govt is not serious about fighting COVID,” Shivakumar tweeted.

The journalist, who had visited containment zones demarcated by BBMP (city civic body), was confirmed positive on April 24.

As per the 34-year-old patient”s (video journalist”s) flowchart, he had met five ministers on work, between April 21 and April 24.

Though, he had also visited Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa”s Home office “Krishna” multiple times during this period, according to officials, he had not met the CM.

On April 23, he had given his swab samples along with other journalists for testing, and was confirmed positive the next day.

At least 40 other contacts of the video journalist, including his family and journalists from various media outlets, have been quarantined, sources said.