Bengaluru, other parts of Karnataka to not have any more coronavirus COVID-19 lockdowns, says CM BS Yediyurappa

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Bengaluru: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday (July 21, 2020) held a press conference and said that Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka will not have any more COVID-19 lockdowns and that the Government is going to take strict measures in the COVID-19 containment zones.

"There won't be any future lockdown in Bengaluru or any other part of Karnataka, we will take strict measures in all the coronavirus containment zones," said CM.

Talking about the 9-day lockdown in Bengaluru that is going to end tomorrow (July 22), CM Yediyurappa said, "We had succeeded earlier in keeping COVID-19 under check but now the cases are rising. Lockdown is not the solution and everyone should always wear masks and should mandatorily follow physical distancing."

He said the state is going to follow 5Ts - trace, track, test, treat, and technology to check the rising number of coronavirus cases.

CM stated that more than 80 % of COVID patients are asymptomatic and there is no need for hospitalisation of asymptomatic patients as they can undergo home isolation or there are COVID Care Centres for such patients.

"Test results were getting delayed. Henceforth, we will take measures to announce the results within 24 hours. I have told DCs not to talk about future lockdowns instead follow the rules strictly," said the Chief Minister.

He also urged the opposition leaders to give suggestions instead of criticising the government and politicising the issue.

The CM also directed officials to buy 6,500 beds and cots at BIEC at a cost of Rs 7.25 crore.

"KPCC President DK Shivakumar thinks that we will re-use these beds after treatment. I want to make it clear that the beds will be burnt and only cots will be re-used later. There is no corruption in BIEC COVID Care Centre," stated CM Yediyurappa.

On the reports of people killing themselves over COVID-19 fear, CM requested everyone to not take such extreme steps 'as many people are recovering from the virus'.

As of Tuesday morning, Karnataka has witnessed a total of 67,420 coronavirus infections, of which, 42,222 are still active, while 1,403 people have succumbed to COVID-19.