After the cameraperson of a private Kannada news channel tested positive for the novel coronavirus, five Karnataka Ministers, who were primary contacts of the journalist, have been asked to quarantined themselves, according to TOI. As per protocol, the ministers are not supposed to attend events, but they have all have flouted quarantine norms.
The video journalist, otherwise known as Patient 475, met five ministers including two Deputy Chief Ministers — Govind Karjol and Dr CN Ashwath Narayan — as well as Minister for Housing V Somanna, Minister for Tourism, Kannada and Culture CT Ravi, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also interacted with the media on April 26, two days after the cameraperson tested positive.
According to the Karnataka Health Department, the journalist traveled from his house to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's official residence, Krishna, on April 20. He again visited Krishna at around 12.15 pm on April 21 and took bytes of one of the Deputy Chief Ministers and also Tourism Minister CT Ravi. On April 21, the cameraperson shot a video byte with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, while he was in his car. At 3.30 pm on the same day, he traveled to Ramanagara along with his colleague and driver.
On April 22, at around 9 am, he shot an interview with Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar in RT Nagar. On the same day, at around 1.30 pm, he shot an interview with Housing Minister V Somanna. However, Health Department officials said that precautionary measures were taken when the interview took place with V Somanna.
"The journalists and the minister were wearing masks and gloves," the official said. At 2 pm, he shot a byte of one of the Deputy Chief Ministers. Soon after, he shot visuals of a programme organised by Member of Legislative Council YA Narayana Swamy. On April 23, he gave his swab sample at the CV Raman General Hospital in Indiranagar. He was tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 on April 24.
Fortunately, the cameraperson's wife and two-and-half-year-old son have tested negative. Sources with the CMO told TNM that he did not come directly into contact with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. However, at a time when primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients are being quarantined until their test results come out, these ministers have been advised home quarantine. BJP sources claim that Ministers CT Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai and Dr K Sudhakar tested negative, however this has not been officially confirmed by the government.
Three of the ministers even attended a meeting with the Chief Minister on Wednesday. These ministers, BJP sources say, had also attended meetings with CM Yediyurappa between April 25 and April 29.
"The journalist came into contact with many other ministers. At this point all ministers have been given an option of getting tested if they want to," a member of Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar's team said.
(With inputs from Prajwal Bhat)