Karnataka: Curfew extended, schools shut again in Bengaluru

After a three hour marathon meeting with health experts, CM announces stricter measures.

Shyam Sundar Vttam | NT

With Karnataka reporting 2,479 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday (2,053 are from Bengaluru alone, with four deaths), the State Government has decided to extend night curfew for another two weeks, starting from January 6 and also impose week-end curfew from 10 pm on Friday up to 5 am on Monday. In addition, all classes except Standard 10th and 12th will remain closed in Bengaluru City for the next two weeks as a precautionary measure. All malls, pubs, cinema halls, bars and other markets would be allowed with 50 per cent capacity.

A three hour marathon meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai with health experts and members of Technical Advisory Committee led by Dr. M.K.Sudarshan at Krishna in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Revenue Minister R. Ashok and Health and Medical Education Minister Dr.K. Sudhakar said the CM reviewed the current situation of the pandemic across the State and heard suggestions of various experts to check the spread of virus, and decided to go for tough rules especially in Bengaluru City since as many as 3048 Corona positive cases and 147 omicron cases were reported in Bengaluru. That means, nearly 82 percent to 85 per cent of positive cases were reported in the state capital. Going by this trend, the experts have opined that Bengaluru may clock 10,000 cases daily in the next 5-6 days if the Covid Appropriate Behavior was not followed strictly by people. The Case Positive Rate which was 0.16 per cent has now reached 3.12 per cent, he added.

He said in view of this, the government has decided to close down all classes across schools, except Standard 10th and 12th for the next two weeks in Bengaluru. This rule would come into effect from 10 pm on Wednesday. Besides, the existing night curfew would be extended by another two weeks. Apart from this, weekend curfew would be imposed across the State from 10 pm on Friday up to 5 am on Monday.