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The Karnataka government has decided to relax Covid norms amid a drop in new cases. Karnataka Minister BC Nagesh today said the state authorities have decided to open schools in Bengaluru from Monday, while night curfew will also be lifted from Jan 31. They have also directed concerned departments to ensure that proper SOPs (standard of procedures) are followed. Marriage functions are permitted with 200 members indoors and 300 outdoors.
As per the new Covid guidelines, swimming pools and gyms have been allowed to open with 50 per cent capacity, while bars, and hotels have been opened. As per the minister, government offices will work with 100 per cent capacity. The government has also allowed temples to open. Protest, sit-ins, religious congregations, political programs are still prohibited in Karnataka.
Apart from this, only 50 per cent people will be allowed for darshan and service at religious places at a time. Sports complexes and stadiums have also been allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity.
The overall hospitalisation rate in Karnataka as of January 28 is 1.90 per cent as only 5,477 people of the 2.88 lakh active cases are hospitalised, state health minister Dr Sudhakar K said today.
He said the percentage of patients in non-oxygenated beds is 1.24 per cent, while the percentage of patients in oxygenated beds is 0.42 per cent. Only 0.24 per cent are in intensive care unit (ICU) or under ventilators.
Of the total 5,477 Covid admissions, total 3,579 hospital beds have been acquired, while 1,214 are general beds. 513 oxygen or HDU beds and 171 ICU beds have been acquired in the southern state.
Meanwhile, the state had reported 31,198 fresh cases on Friday, while 50 patients succumbed to death due to the disease, state health department data said. On Thursday, Karnataka reported 38,083 new Covid cases, while the death toll climbed to 38,754, with 49 more deaths.
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