BackCoronavirus: Six more test positive in Karnataka, state's tally climbs to 26
The six new cases include people from districts like Dharwad, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru, who had travelled back to India from places like Dubai, Germany, London and other European countries
PremiumBengaluru: The Karnataka health department on Sunday said that six more people have tested positive for novel coronavirus (Covid-19), taking the total number of cases in the state to 26.
“Till date 26 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state which includes one death," the state health department said in a statement.
The six new cases include people from districts like Dharwad, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru, who had travelled back to India from places like Dubai, Germany, London and other European countries.
The rapidly escalating numbers have sparked fears that the virus could have now been spread to other parts of the state. Details of the positive cases came barely an hour after Karnataka decided to lock down nine districts, including Bengaluru, to contain the spread of the virus.
The Centre on Sunday said that state governments should lockdown around 75 districts, which have reported positive Covid-19 cases.
Basavaraj Bommai, the state’s home minister said that all public transport shall stay cancelled on Monday too and that all air conditioned bus services will stay suspended until March 31, 2020, he said. Section 144 has been imposed across the state from 9 pm to 12 pm to ensure people do not rush out of their homes after the 14-hour Janta Curfew ends.
All commercial activities except medical stores, grocery and agriculture services in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Kodagu and Belagavi districts are suspended until March 31, the government said.
Even industrial establishments in the above districts that employ large numbers of workers have been instructed to deploy them in half the numbers on alternate days.
The government has locked down its borders and also suspended intra-city public transport.
The 10th standard exams (SSLC) that was supposed to commence from 27 March, has been postponed. The last remaining second year pre-university exam (12th standard), scheduled on Monday,has also been advanced.
Karnataka chief minister B.S.Yediyurappa on Sunday announced that the government had decided to shut down state borders as a precautionary measure to battle the spread of novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Yediyurappa also said that ration for the next two months will also be given in advance as part of the measures taken by the government. A war room to be opened at Balboorie government guest house under the leadership of the chief minister. The state has also decided to shut its borders with six other states.
He asked people from cities not to go back to their villages as they would risk carrying the virus and spreading it there .
Yediyurappa said that Karnataka is hoping to get more labs to do tests and aims to get to a ratio of testing at least 200 persons per million. As on Saturday only 1387 people in Karnataka had been tested for the virus.
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