Stricter measures in containment zones in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The number of micro-containment zones in the city has shot up from 80 to 101 in the last one week. In view of this, the principal secretary to the Revenue Department, N Manjunatha Prasad, has directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta and district deputy commissioners to impose additional containment measures wherever necessary.

The order says the spike in cases calls for close monitoring and stringent micro-containment measures with the time-tested strategy of test-isolate-treat as well as focused vaccination to contain the spread of Covid-19 locally.D Randeep, BBMP special commissioner (Health), said powers will be given to the eight zonal joint commissioners and recommendations will be taken from the zonal health officials to impose containment zones.

“Joint Commissioners can start implementing containment and surveillance measures. We are watching the clusters closely, especially in areas with five and more cases. Market areas will be closed down if recommended by local health officials,” he said.Another order from the BBMP, issued on Thursday, stated that in Mahadevapura zone, where the highest number of containment zones are located, eight apartment complexes have been identified as micro-containment zones.

A series of guidelines have been issued for the containment zones and the BBMP has also requested residents’ welfare associations of areas including Bellandur, Varthur, Hoodi and Horamavu, to report any new infections. According to officials, the creation of a containment zone is to control the spread of the disease and also raise awareness to bring behaviourial change.

The BBMP officials said that three clusters of three cases each in the same building exist in some of the containment zones. Such clusters are high at Vijnanapura and Vijnanagar award. Meanwhile, seven active clusters are located at the intersection of Banaswadi, Horamavu and HBR Layout wards.The BBMP will map the cases and contacts and declare an area as a containment zone if five or more cases are found in one cluster.

What The Guidelines Say

Daily house-to-house surveillance in containment zone
House-to-house surveillance twice a week in buffer zone
Lockdown guidelines of state and central government to be mandatorily followed
Guidelines and restrictions can be extended, modified or increased depending on increase in positive cases