Lockdown guidelines to be released by Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner shortly

Mangaluru: Two days after the Karnataka government decided to impose a lockdown on Bengaluru to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19, Dakshina Kannada district has decided to do so as well.

District minister Kota Srinivas Poojary declared that the district would go into a complete lockdown from July 16.

The number of COVID-19 cases has seen a steep increase in the district in the last few days. In a span of just eight days, the number has doubled from 1012 on July 3 to 2,034 on July 11. The number of deaths too has seen a steep increase, standing at 41 on July 12.

The demand for a lockdown in the district got a boost with the state government deciding to impose it in Bengaluru.

At a video conference held by chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday, the decision on a lockdown was left to th respective district administrations.

"The elected representatives as well as the people of the district feel a lockdown would help in controlling COVID-19. Thus we have decided to impose lockdown from Thursday," minister Poojary said.

He asked the people to stock up on daily needs for three days till Thursday. Guidelines related to the lockdown would be released by the Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner shortly.

Neighboring Udupi district will decide on a lockdown on Tuesday. Udupi deputy commissioner G Jagadeesh said a meeting would be held on Tuesday morning which would be attended by elected representatives. "The final decision on lockdown would be taken at the meeting," he said.