Alarming Rate Of Spike In Covid Cases In Bengaluru Cause Of Concern, But No Lockdown Of Any Kind: Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa

Karnataka is among the top three states in the country to yet again witness a surge in Covid cases during what is being called the 'second wave'.

The state reported 2,792 cases in the last 24 hours and stands third preceded by Punjab which saw 2,868 cases and Maharashtra which tops the list with 31,643 cases.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who held a review meeting with Ministers, senior officials and experts, expressed concern over the rate at which cases were spiking in capital city Bengaluru.

The daily average cases is around 1377, as per the highlights of the meeting released. The total positive cases in the last two weeks is 16,921.

Yediyurappa appealed to the public to observe proper Covid restrictions and avoid crowding while warning that it would else become extremely difficult to 'bring the situation under control'.

Upto 60,000 vaccinations are being done in Bengaluru city daily while the total number of persons vaccinated in the IT capital touched 6.61 lakh.

In view of the rising cases though, the BBMP has opened two Covid care centres with 100 beds each at HAL and the Haj Bhavan.

An additional 250-bed Covid care centre is also being prepared at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium and will be open from April 5.

In a bid to increasing testing in the capital city, every ward will have two mobile and one static unit deployed and officials of the revenue and education department will be involved to undertake contact tracing. The number of contacts too has been raised to 30.

Senior officials have been appointed as nodal officers to eight BBMP wards and funds amounting to RS 150 crore have already been released for Covid handing, as per the reports of the meeting.

The state has prohibited all forms of gathering in the name of protests and demonstrations starting today (30 March) for the next fortnight said the CM, adding that crowd at public functions too shall say restricted and strictly monitored.

The state will write to the Centre seeking permission to administer the vaccines to all teachers said Yediyurappa while appealing to the public to get vaccinated and help in containing the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the state.

The CM assured that there would be no lockdowns of any kind in the state.

All public gatherings and congregations during this festival season have been prohibited from taking place at any public places, grounds, parks, markets, religious places etc. All fairs and jatras associated with different religious festivals too will be included in this list and hence will have to yet again, like last summer, be held without any public gathering.

As per reports, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh cumulatively account for 79.64 per cent of the total active cases of which Maharashtra alone accounts for more than 62 per cent of active cases.

As of Tuesday, the national recovery rate stands at 94.19 per cent standing at 1,13,93,021 while the fatalities have touched 1,62,114 with daily new fatalities at 271.