K’taka govt orders dists to monitor situation & impose additional COVID-19 containment measures

PTI, Jul 30, 2021, 3:46 PM IST

Bengaluru: With the State witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Karnataka government on Friday ordered the district administrations to strictly monitor the situation in their respective jurisdictions and to impose additional containment measures as deemed necessary.

It has also asked for strict surveillance measures to be implemented at the border posts as per the prevailing guidelines.

According to the order, it has been observed that there has been a spike in the number of new cases in the bordering States as well as in few places in the State, which entails close monitoring and stringent micro-containment measures with time test strategy of test-isolate-treat as well as focused vaccination to contain the spread of COVID-19 locally.

Signed by Revenue Department (Disaster Management) Principal Secretary N Manjunatha Prasad, it said after assessing the evolving COVID-19 situation in the State, the Chief Commissioner-BBMP, Deputy Commissioners of the districts have been directed to strictly monitor the COVID situation in their respective jurisdictions and based on their assessment of the situation, may impose additional containment measures as deemed necessary.

”Further, strict surveillance measures to be implemented at the border posts as per the prevailing guidelines,” it added.

Karnataka on Thursday had reported 2,052 new cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 29,01,247 and toll to 36,491.

This is compared to 1,531 fresh infections and 19 deaths on Wednesday, and 1,501 new cases and 32 deaths on Tuesday.

Total number of active cases in the state as on Thursday was at 23,253.

While the positivity rate for the day stood at 1.37 per cent, case fatality rate (CFR) was at 1.70 per cent.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said there is a need to tighten the borders and take measures to put in place compulsory testing to stop the spread of the virus.

Stating that he has spoken to Deputy Commissioners of Dakshina Kannada, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, and Kodagu districts (that borders Kerala) on raising COVID cases, he said, ”We have to tighten our borders. We have to make compulsory testing and vaccination.”

After the Delhi visit, Bommai said he will hold a video conference with Deputy Commissioners and health officials of various districts.

”We need to take measures to further strengthen our health infrastructure. The priority is to stop the spread of the disease,” he said.

Bommai also said that people travelling by roadways are being checked.

There is a need to keep a tab on train passengers. The Deputy Commissioners and Superintendent of Police have to take the responsibility of checking, he said, adding that he has spoken to the chief secretary in this regard.