Karnataka govt deploys marshalls in marriage halls, caps social gatherings to 500 people amid Covid surge

According to the new protocols, marshals will be deployed in marriage halls to ensure Covid guidelines are followed. Not more than 500 people are allowed in a gathering and face mask is compulsory for all, said Karnataka Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar.

Moreover, state's Kalaburagi district administration issued a travel advisory in the wake of rising Covid cases. Five check posts were set up at the Karnataka-Maharastra border in the district. Travellers from Maharashtra, who enter Karnataka through the border at Afzalpura and Aland have to sumbit RT-PCR negative test, as per orders.

Meanwhile, as a move to reinstate stricter control of transit passengers from Kerala in view of increasing COVID-19 positive cases, people in Karnataka, bound to Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada for various purposes including medical needs and studies are in a fix again.

Long queues of vehicles could be seen in the border areas since morning as Karnataka authorities sealed many roads including national highways and restricted entry only for those with Covid-19 negative certificates.

The Dakshina Kannada authorities sealed all borders from Monday except four to cross over, sources told PTI.

According to Karnataka officials at the borders, those who wish to enter have to produce Covid-19 negative certificate through an RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their cross over time.

Karnataka on Sunday clocked 413 fresh coronavirus infections and two deaths, taking the total caseload and fatalities to 9,48,149 and 12,294 respectively, the health department said. According to a health bulletin, so far 9,29,800 people, including 353 on Sunday, had been discharged.

There were 6,036 active cases in the state which includes 127 in intensive care units, the department said. More than half of the fresh cases were contributed by Bengaluru Urban district, which reported 248 infections besides both the fatalities. Cumulatively, the city has reported 4,03,762 infections, 4,451 deaths, 3,94,995 discharges, including 206 on Sunday.