Bengaluru: The B. S. Yediyurappa-led state government has decided to impose a complete lockdown in Karnataka from May 10 (6 am) to May 24 (6 am) to break the covid-19 transmission chain. The decision has come amid an alarming rise in the Coronavirus caseload in the past few days, with the majority of the cases coming to light from Bangalore alone. Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa said that the ‘corona curfew’ was unsuccessful in containing the covid infections, as a result, a complete lockdown will come into effect from May 10.

KARNATAKA LOCKDOWN: LIST OF CURBS

  1. During the lockdown period, all hotels, pubs, and bars will remain shut.
  2. Eateries, meat shops, and vegetable shops will be allowed to operate from 6-10 AM.
  3. He added that there will be no transportation, either inter-state or intra-state.
  4. Stringent action will be taken against those who violate lockdown measures.
  5. Flights and trains already scheduled will operate during the lockdown.
  6. Metro rail will stay shut.
  7. Cabs not hired for emergency purposes won’t be allowed on the roads.
  8. Schools and colleges will remain shut, online learning has been encouraged.
  9. The Chief Minister further appealed to migrant workers to not leave the state, saying “the lockdown decision is temporary.”

“As COVID19 cases are surging in the state, corona curfew was not successful. So, a complete lockdown will be imposed from 10th May 6 am to 24th May 6 am. All hotels, pubs, and bars will remain closed. Eateries, meat shops & vegetable shops can operate from 6-10 am,” the Karnataka CM announced.

“Not even a single person will be allowed after 10 am in the lockdown, I have suggested police officers to take stringent action. We have decided this after looking at the death toll and increasing number of cases,” Yediyurappa added.

The Coronavirus situation is quite tense in Karnataka as the state has been reporting a record daily Covid-19 cases after Maharashtra. Karnataka’s active caseload breached the five-lakh mark with 49,058 fresh COVID-19 infections on Thursday, while the toll stood at 17,212 with 328 fresh deaths.

The lockdown decision came after experts from various quarters suggesting stringent rules and lockdown models in Karnataka. “At least in two weeks, we will see a peak in Karnataka,” Dr. Giridhara R Babu, who is a professor and head of Life Course Epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India had told PTI yesterday. Babu, who is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID, said the case detection is at present erratic because the testing numbers have reduced, especially in Bengaluru.