Bengaluru, Oct 12 (TIWN) Karnataka's new Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday asserted that his biggest priority would be to reduce the Covid-19 mortality rate to less than one per cent.

Listing out his challenges after he was made the Health M, he said that his top priority would be to tackle Covid-19 effectively and reduce the mortality rate.  Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa earlier in the day divested B Sreeramulu of the portfolio and made Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar the new Health Minister also.  "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked us (Karnataka) to bring down Covid mortality rate to less than one per cent sometime ago; it has become top-most priority for me now," Sudhakar said after seeking the blessings of powerful Vokkaliga pontiff, Shri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Mutt here.  The Minister said that it was important to trace primary and secondary contacts of the infected persons within 48 hours for this.