Under pressure from the public, and trade and business establishments, Karnataka Government announced lifting of weekend curfew (Saturday and Sunday). However, the government decided to continue night curfew (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) on all days.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired a two-hour-long meeting with health experts, Ministers and senior officials, which concluded with the decision to lift the weekend curfew on ‘scientific grounds’.
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With a hospitalisation rate of no more than 5%, the government decided to stop imposing a weekend curfew in Karnataka. The government would re-impose the restriction if the hospitalisation rate increases, said Revenue Minister R. Ashok and appealed to the people to cooperate with the government by strictly following Covid-19 guidelines in public places.
As on January 20, 2022, Karnataka has 2,93,230 active cases of COVID-19. Of these, 2.86 lakh patients are in home isolation while 5,344 are undergoing treatment in hospitals with 340 patients receiving treatment in ICU units and 127 patients are on ventilators, Mr. Ashok told mediapersons.
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Karnataka’s positive rate for COVID-19 is 19.94%. The positivity rate for children is 8% while the positive rate for aged persons is 16.57%. The Chief Minister has issued instructions to senior officials to take special care of children testing positive, the Minister said.
Besides Bengaluru Urban, a large number of cases were being reported in Mysuru, Tumakuru, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts. The number of cases has been doubling every three days. On an average, one infected person is infecting about 2.6 persons, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.
Experts said the number of COVID-19 cases would reach a peak next week. A large number of doctors and paramedical staff too have been infected with the virus.
The Minister justified the continuation of night curfew on the grounds that it would restrict activities in bars, clubs and restaurants, and create awareness among the public about the prevalence COVID-19 in Karnataka.
All existing rules related to a ban on protests, demonstrations and rallies would continue across Karnataka. Existing restrictions related to the number of people attending marriages and public functions too will continue. All hotels, pubs, bars, restaurants and malls would operate with 50% capacity.
Mr. Ashok said several organisations in the organised and unorganised sectors, and Congress leaders too, had demanded removal of weekend curfew in Karnataka. The government had taken the decision mainly on ‘scientific grounds based on the suggestions given by experts’, he said.
Neighbouring States
The meeting took stock of prevailing positivity rates in neighbouring States of Kerala and Maharashtra, and decided to strictly impose COVID-19 restrictions to control the spread of the pandemic in the coming days, the Minister said.
Members of the Technical Advisory Committee of Karnataka, experts from WHO and NIMHANS, Ministers K. Sudhakar, Araga Jnanendra and Govind M. Karjol attended the meeting.