Bengaluru Which So Far Was Resilient Against COVID-19 Is Facing Another Lockdown After A Surge

Just a couple of weeks ago when Chennai and three other districts in Tamil Nadu went into lockdown and there were similar demands in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Bengaluru was busy opening up after the restrictions ended.

That was because for nearly three months the IT capital of India had stood out in comparison to other metro cities when it comes to COVID-19.

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While cities like Mumbai and Delhi were registering new infections in their thousands every day, Bengaluru was still in double digits and it was not even the worst-affected region in Karnataka.

But two weeks down the line, things have changed drastically and on Sunday Bengaluru recorded the single day high of 783 new infections.

As of Sunday, Bengaluru has 3,314 confirmed COVID-19 cases and out of this 2,691 are active.

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Bengaluru had 1556 COVID19 cases as on June 23 which has doubled to 3,419 cases as on June 28. Bengaluru now constitutes 25.92% of total cases in Karnataka.

The positivity rate has gone up from an average of 1.2% at the end of May to 3.23% in June. The figures are set to increase in the next months.

COVID-19 cases have been picking up in Bengaluru for nearly ten days and it had reached a point where former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy demanded re-imposition of lockdown in the city warning that if not done "Bengaluru would be another Brazil."

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Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa who had repeatedly ruled out any more lockdowns in Bengaluru was forced to act last week when he announced a full lockdown in KR Market, Chamarajapete, Kalasipalya and Chickpete due to a sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 cases.

This was followed by another government order on Saturday to reintroduce Sunday lockdowns in Bengaluru until further notice from July 5.

As per the government order, no activities shall be permitted on Sundays except for essential services and supplies.

Additionally, the daily night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am is altered to 8 pm to 5 am with effect from June 29. It has also decided that all government offices will have a five-day week with Saturday as a holiday.

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Bengaluru is also ramping up its medical infrastructure with a 10,000 dedicated beds facility for COVID-19 patients will also be readied in by Monday.

Marriage halls, hostels, other institutions and railway coaches with beds will be reserved to convert them into COVID care centres in the event of surge in positive or active cases.