Bengaluru lockdown news: Today's updates

As part of Karnataka government’s lockdown plan to contain the spread of coronavirus, all essential shops in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, except pharmacies, to remain shut.
*In view of constraints in visiting sites for assessment due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has adopted e-mapping technology for e-auction. Bidders can locate sites from the comfort of their home.
* ANI update at 10.13am: Karnataka observes complete lockdown today. Visuals from Chennamma circle, Hubballi. State govt is imposing complete lockdown every Sunday till August 2 due to Covid-19.

* PTI update at 10.10am: With Bengaluru witnessing a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in the past few days, the Karnataka government holds inter-state travellers responsible for the spurt in infections, saying those from hot spot states like Maharashtra could have brought the infection.
* Update at 9.33am: Highest single day spike of 38,902 cases and 543 deaths reported in India in the last 24 hours. Total Covid-19 positive cases stand at 10,77,618 including 3,73,379 active cases, 6,77,423 cured/discharged/migrated and 26,816 deaths, reports ANI quoting ministry of health and family welfare
* ANI update at 9am: Lockdown imposed in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district till July 23, with relaxation hours between 8am to11 am, in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Visuals from Mangaluru.

*From being a role model in Covid-19 management to a dreaded city where patients are desperately waiting for ambulances and hospital beds, Bengaluru has been caught flat-footed due to lack of coordination among government agencies and ministers. The state government has replaced BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar with his predecessor N Manjunath Prasad in a bid to fix the mess.
*A recent announcement by the state government that plasma donors should be given an incentive of Rs 5,000 has touched off a controversy. NGOs and blood banks say such policies of offering monetary rewards go against the voluntary spirit of blood donation and could affect campaigns.
*Private medical colleges in Karnataka have agreed to provide a minimum of 50% beds for Covid-19 patients and treat non-Covid patients from Sunday.
*Large containers normally used to ship cargo have been repurposed into mobile ICUs by a citybased private firm to overcome bed shortage amid the rising Covid-19 cases in the tech capital.
*Core Bengaluru areas spread over three of the eight BBMP zones have contributed to 70% of the city’s Covid-19 cases over the past 10 days. Of these, south zone accounts for 25%, west 24% and east 21%.