Mysuru, May 23: Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh R Nirani on Sunday held a virtual meeting with senior officials and people’s representatives and reviewed COVID-19 situation in Kalaburagi district. Minister Nirani said the number of COVID-19 cases has decreased considerably and the situation is under control in the district.

Addressing the officials, people’s representatives and media personnel who attended the video-conferencing, Nirani said Kalaburagi which was at third spot a fortnight ago, now climbed down to twenty-seventh position. “We were able to bring down the number of COVID-19 cases in Kalaburagi district due to tough measures and collective efforts. The number of positive cases in the district also declined significantly. There is no shortage of medicines and oxygen supply in the district,” added the minister.

Kalaburagi MP Dr Umesh Jadhav, MLAs Priyank Kharge, Ajay Singh, MY Patil, MLC Shashil Namoshi, Deputy Commissioner V Jyotsna, ZP CEO, SP, DHO and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Lauding the district in-charge minister for containing the spread of virus in Kalaburagi, MP Dr Umesh Jadhav wanted testing increased in rural areas. “Thanks to the efforts of Shri Murugesh Nirani the COVID-19 pandemic is under control in Kalaburagi. There is no shortage of essential medical equipment and medicine in the district. But the rural areas are facing problem, we need to increase testing and isolate patients there. And we should prepare ourselves to tackle the possible third wave,” the MP said.

Participating in the virtual meeting, Kalaburagi DC V Jyotsna said the district has been witnessing decline in the number of COVID-19 patients in the last ten days and it would come down further in the coming days. She said the PWD had submitted estimation to refurbish the abandoned ESI hospital in Shahabad and the facility would be opened soon. The DC further added the district administration has been focusing on controlling the pandemic in rural areas.

The minister also earned the praise from Congress MLAs Ajay Singh, Priyank Kharge, MY Patil and BJP MLC Shashil Namoshi for his prompt measures in tackling the situation in Kalaburagi. Namoshi stressed on the need to control the pandemic in rural areas. Ajay Singh said the district administration should focus on vaccination while Priyank Kharge wanted the authorities to move the infected people to covid care centres in rural areas.

Assuring all possible steps to contain the pandemic, minister Nirani said he will try to get more vaccines for the district. “I will speak to the Hon’ble Chief Minister and try to get more vaccines for Kalaburagi. We will strictly ask the authorities to get infected persons admitted to covid care centres to avoid further spread of virus in villages,” Nirani added.