He sought for the centre’s monetary assistance to maintain the PM Care Ventilators

He also spoke with the Kerala Government

Govenment and private hospitals have been directed to conduct RT PCR tests

The Karnataka Health Department had a discussion with central bodies for a joint effort in containing the virus. An update about th meeting wa provided in a press meet held therafter. The JN-1 sub variant has been identified in more than 31 countries. The Karnataka Government is preparing itself for emergencies. In this regard, oxygen supply,ventilators and isolation beds are being made available. The Karnataka Government has sought for the centre’s monetary assistance to maintain the PM Care Ventilators. They also expressed concerns about not being given updates about the data pertaining to the spread of the virus in the nation due the lack of functionality of the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) website. 

Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the Government of Karnataka Dinesh Gundu Rao also spoke with the Kerala Government to have a picture of the spread of the virus in the state. According to the Kerala Government, of all the 5 deaths due to the virus on 19th December, the patients had previous ailments such as cancer, kidney failure or heart problems. For at least 1 in 20 cases of influenza like diseases, both government and private hospitals have to compulsorily perform RT PCR tests as per the directive of the Karnataka Health Ministry. A minimum of 50 samples are required for the genome sequencing. This is required to establish the characteristics and prominence of the virus in the state.