Lockdown back in Bengaluru's Covid clusters to check cases

Bengaluru, June 22 (IANS) Alarmed by the surging Covid-19 cases in this tech city, the Karnataka government enforced the lockdown again in the virus-hit clusters to reduce their caseload, an official said on Monday.

"As many people are not wearing face masks or maintaining social distance, lockdown has been reimposed in Covid clusters to check the rising cases," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Anil Kumar told reporters after a review meeting with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa here.

With 196 patients testing positive across the city, the number of Covid-infected shot up to 1,292 on Sunday.

"As the cases have been increasing in the city at an alarming rate in the recent days, Yediyurappa directed the civic authority to strictly enforce the lockdown," said Kumar.

Of the earlier 286 containment zones across the city, 238 are active. A total of 40 returned to normal and 8 extended.

The lockdown has been reimposed in KR Market, Kalasipalya, Siddapura and VV Puram clusters where the virus cases had been rising.

"The adjoining areas of the clusters has also been sealed to check the virus spread," said Kumar.

The city continues to have the highest number of active cases in the southern state at 796, with 411 patients discharged so far.

The state government also decided to take stringent action against violators of quarantine.

"Covid-19 should be contained without affecting economic activities in the city, which were resumed on June 8," the Chief Minister told the officials at the meeting.

"Rates will soon be fixed for the treatment of Covid patients in private hospitals. Fever clinics will be set up in all the 198 civic wards in the city," said Kumar.

Yediyurappa also directed the civic body to maintain hygiene and provide basic amenities to those quarantined in welfare hostels and state-run institutions.

"The Covid war room will have real-time information on availability of beds in all the designated hospitals in the city and facilitate the infected to avail treatment without delay," added Kumar.

Booth-level officers and volunteers have been directed to trace contacts and monitor the quarantined patients.

Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayana, Revenue Minister R. Ashoka, Home Minister Basavaraja Bommai, Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaya Bhaskar, Development Commissioner Vandita Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary for health Jawaid Akhthar also attended the emergent meeting at the state Secretariat in the city centre.