Bengaluru, Jan 18 (FN Representative) Karnataka government on Tuesday warned of action against medical practitioners for misinformation or non-factual data on Covid-19 across media platforms. Necessary action would be initiated as per section 54 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and section 4(K) of Karnataka Epidemic Disease Act, 2020, the government, in an order issued here, said. The government took cognisance of the misinformation after it noticed some medical practitioners are giving incomplete, inaccurate and unsubstantiated information about Covid-19 on various media platforms. It also stated that such misinformation leads to confusion in public at large on the prevailing Covid scenario in Karnataka and encourages them to deviate from well laid-out guidelines issued by the health and revenue authorities. The medical practitioners, being proficient in both clinical and public health fields, should exercise utmost care and caution while communicating with the public on Covid, it warned.
“It is expected that Medical Practitioners shall refer to the guidelines/circulars/orders issued by Govt. of Karnataka and Govt. of India thoroughly, before appearing on any media/social platform,” it added. The state on Monday recorded 27,156 new cases of Covid with positivity rate standing at 12.45 percent, which was a drop from the previous day, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar stated. There are as many 2,17, 297 active cases in the state, of which 1,58,000 cases have been registered in Bengaluru alone. As many as 14 deaths were registered in the state, out of which Bengaluru recorded five.
Meanwhile, Dr Sudhakar attended a video-conference chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with Deputy Commissioners, Zilla Panchayat CEOs and District Surgeons of 18 districts to review the progress of Covid vaccination drive. The district administrations have been instructed to address vaccine hesitancy and ensure 100 per cent coverage at the earliest, he said. Moreover, the government hospitals are providing surgery for free Rs 2 lakh on about 350 people who lost organs due to black fungus infection during the second wave of Corona. The surgeries are being carried out at the Bowring Hospital and Government Dental College, Sudhakar said.