'Only God can save us from Covid-19,' says Karnataka health minister

Bengaluru has been under a lockdown since the 14th of July, a decision the government had to take in the face of rising number of cases in the city.

Follow latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here

B Sriramulu, Karnataka’s health minister and family welfare minister suggested that only divine intervention could protect the state from the rising number of cases.

“Only God can save us, and we have to bring in caution on our own,” he said regarding the sudden spike in positive cases.

To handle this spike, the state imposed a week down lockdown across Bengaluru (rural and urban).

Some allege that there is internal disagreement between the government itself - namely between - Sriramulu, the medical education minister K. Sudhakar, and the revenue minister R. Ashoka.

Karnataka was performing better than other states, until its numbers steadily began to rise after the nationwide unlock began. It now has a larger number of cases than Gujarat.

According to Sriramulu, Covid-19 positive cases in the state can be expected to double within the next month.

“World over, the cases are doubling indiscriminately. It (virus) does not choose poor, rich, community or religion. There is no class or caste difference. The cases are 100 per cent going to increase… In whose hands does this rest? It is only god who can save us,” he said.

The government expects the next two months to be the greatest challenge it has faced.