Covid-19 vaccination dry run held ‘smoothly’ in 5 districts of Karnataka

News Network

January 2, 2021

Bengaluru, Jan 1: Dry run, an exercise for end-to- end testing of the Covid-19 vaccination process, was held "smoothly" in five districts of Karnataka on Saturday.

It was held at Kalaburagi, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Belagavi, and Bengaluru districts in which 25 beneficiaries, including designated health staff at each of the identified Primary Health Centres, taluk and district hospitals, participated.

Officials said that everything needed to conduct Covid-19 vaccination, excluding the actual vaccine shots, were part of the dry run.

Health Minister K Sudhakar told reporters after visiting the General Hospital at Yelahanka where the dry run was held, that everything went off smoothly as per protocol and the state is prepared for the actual process, once it gets the vaccine.

"Once we get the vaccines officially, a similar procedure will be followed and we will try to vaccinate as many people as possible in a single day," he said.

The vaccine is expected this month itself, the Minister said and noted that the Union Health Minister had said the Centre would administer it free of cost initially to one crore workers in the health sector.

The centre will issue guidelines on administering the vaccine for other sections in stages and the state government will implement it, he added.

Around 100 vaccinators and 375 beneficiaries were said to be part of the dry run in the state, official sources said. The Health Department in a release had earlier said that three session sites in each district -- one at district level, one at taluka level and one at PHC level -- have been chosen for the dry run, after which feedback would be collected from those session sites.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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