Karnataka today asked the Prime Minister to issue new guidelines to utilise final year MBBS and degree students for Covid mitigation duties, to ensure adequate supply of trained medical professionals.<br />'' <br />''The Medical Education minister in the state Dr. K Sudhakar informed this after a video conference with the Prime Minister today on the prevailing situation of the pandemic.<br />'' <br />''In the absence of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is in home quarantine, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayan had briefed the Prime Minister along with his cabinet colleagues and senior officers.<br />'' <br />''During the press conference later, Dr.K Sudhakar informed that a request was made to the Prime Minister to increase seats of graduates in medical courses by 10,000 and MBBS seats by 2000 in the state.<br />'' <br />''He said the Prime minister has asked the state to focus on reducing the fatality rate to one percent and ensure contact tracing upto 70 percent to control the spread of virus.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister has also asked the state to trace the infected persons within 72 hours.</span><br />