The State government on Monday decided to implement lockdown locally by sealing the entire street and adjacent streets where COVID-19 positive cases are reported, across the State where the rate of spread of the pandemic is high.
The seal down of areas will be implemented in Bengaluru, Ballari, Yadgir, and Kalaburagi among others, where cases are on a rise.
In Bengaluru, containment zones will be created in wards that have seen a spike in cases in the recent weeks. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has given his consent. The seal down, which will be for 10 days, will be extended to other areas which have reported more cases.
Incidentally, the government, which earlier demarcated containment areas within local wards, had scaled them down to a few buildings where COVID-19 cases were reported. The decision to bring back the seal down rules was taken on Monday at a high-level meeting chaired by Mr. Yediyurappa, in which Deputy Chief Minister C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Revenue Minister R. Ashok, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaybhaskar participated. The meeting was convened to contain the rapid spread of positive cases in the State.
“As the first step, lockdown will be implemented strictly in clusters, which reported more number of cases, especially in K.R. Market and surrounding areas of Siddapura and Kalasipalya. The pandemic should be contained without affecting economic activities in Bengaluru, which had been resumed recently,” Mr. Yediyurappa said. Fever clinics will be set up in all wards to prevent the contagion spreading in hospitals, Mr. Yediyurappa said.
The Chief Minister also directed the officials to maintain hygiene and provide other basic amenities to people who have been quarantined in social welfare hostels and other government institutions.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ashok, who briefed reporters after the meeting, said the pandemic was spreading in places such as Chickpet and Chamarajpet, where Kalasiplaya Market and K.R. Market are located. He said the BBMP Commissioner will decide on the alternative market spaces since the two markets will be shut.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ashok said that in the light of complaints over poor hygiene and inadequate supply of water in institutional quarantine infrastructure at hostels run by the Social Welfare Department, the authorities have been asked to address the issues quickly.
Quarantine violators to be arrested
Stating that criminal action would be initiated against those violating home quarantine rules, Revenue Minister R. Ashok said it was unfortunate that they were leaving their mobile phones at home and moving around unnecessarily. “Because they can be tracked using their phones, they are leaving them at home,” he said, adding that police have been asked to file FIR against them. “There is a format and it needs no formal complaint against the violators. They will be arrested.”
Pvt. hospitals to treat cases from today
Revenue Minister R. Ashok said there was an extensive discussion over the shortage of beds to treat COVID-19 patients in government facilities, and that the government will allow the designated private hospitals to start treating patients from Tuesday. “Many private hospitals have come forward to treat patients. The government in consultation with private hospitals will decide on the number of wards and the rate to be fixed,” he added.
Mr. Ashok said there is a lot of confusion about the availability of hospital beds, and a mechanism will be devised to disseminate information on the availability of beds and hospitals that people could go to.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “ILI and SARI cases have increased and those without travel history are testing positive.”
He said that the hospital capacity to accommodate COVID-19 positive cases were discussed. “There are 13 government hospitals in Bengaluru, and 13 medical medical colleges, including three government medical colleges. These have to be utilised completely.”Asymptomatic cases have to be shifted to COVID care centres so that critical cases can be focused, he added.
