BBMP marks 299 containment zones after Bengaluru covid tally crosses 1200

With the positive cases in Bengaluru reaching 1,272 the civic agency, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagare Palike (BBMP) has declared 299 areas as containment zones. In the wee hours of Monday, after a resident was tested positive in the  Ananda Puram area that falls under heavily choked KR Market, the BBMP declared that the said area would also be sealed.

In a meeting held with the senior officials of the various government departments, the chief minister B.S Yediyurappa said that given the surge in the number of cases in cluster areas surrounding KR Market fourteen days lockdown should be implemented strictly.  The streets in Chickpet, Chamarajapet, Siddapura, VVPuram, Kalasipalya and Dharnaraya pura which reported more number of cases will undergo partial lockdown, the other areas within the wards will remain open.

The officials are also directed to fix rates for the treatment of Covid patients in Private hospitals to enable patients avail treatment in private hospitals.The BBMP fever clinics will also be set up in all the wards.

However, it was discussed that the pandemic has to be contained without affecting the economic activities in Bengaluru.

The government came under heavy criticism after the testing numbers came down. While the cases were rising the testing samples which wavered between 11,000 to 13,000 daily in the fortnight of June suddenly dipped to 5,362 on June 15. Facing backlash, the government stated that the individual testing would be stepped up to at least 15,000 samples per day.

Under Ayushman Bharath-Aarogya Karnataka the state government has notified 518 private hospitals to admit patients referred by the government.

All treatment protocols will be paid for the appropriate package rate for Covid-19 management,” said Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of Police, Bhaskar Rao has stated that those bystanders who click pictures of Covid patients when they go to a hospital will invite legal action as it breaches privacy.

The commissioner has also directed the police personnel aged over 55 years to stay at home and the home guards will fill the gap at the police stations.