Lockdown in 2 Covid-hit K’taka districts from Wednesday

Bengaluru, July 14 (IANS) With Covid cases spiking by the day, two districts in Karnataka — Dakshina Kannada and Dharwad — on Monday declared 7-day and 10-day lockdown from Wednesday till July 21 and July 24, respectively, to contain the coronavirus spread.

“The 7-day lockdown will be enforced from July 15 night to July 21 night across the coastal district to check the Covid spread,” state endowments minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Kota Srinivas Poojary told reporters in Mangaluru. The coastal district is 350km from Bengaluru.

“The 10-day lockdown in Dharwad district will be enforced from 9 am on July 15 till 8 pm on July 24,” said state industries minister and district in-charge Jagadish Shettar in Dharwad. Dharwad is 430 km from Bengaluru.

Though district Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu Rupesh will issue guidelines on Tuesday, Poojary said as shops would be open till Wednesday night, people can buy groceries and other daily needs for a week to avoid going out till July 21.

“The week-long lockdown will be strictly enforced in the district as in the first phase for 21 days from March 25 to April 14 across the country,” said Poojary.

The Dharwad district administration will on Tuesday issue the guidelines to be followed by the people during the 10-day lockdown to control the situation.

“Intra-district travel will be allowed only for medical emergencies on obtaining pass from the district police online,” said Shettar.

Poojary appealed to the public to cooperate with the district administration in checking the spread of Covid-19.

With 131 fresh cases on Monday, Dakshina Kannada’s Covid tally rose to 2,353 till date, including 1,489 active cases after 821 were discharged, while 41 have succumbed to the virus since March 9.

Similarly, 71 new cases were reported in Dharwad, taking its positive cases to 1,159, including 703 active cases after 418 were discharged, while 38 died of the infection so far.

–IANS

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