COVID-19: Karnataka likely to decide on lockdown-like curbs on April 26

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New Delhi: The Karnataka government is expected to take a decision on imposing lockdown-like restrictions on Monday (April 26) in a bid to curb the transmission of COVID-19. 

In a meeting scheduled at 11 am, the state cabinet will decide on implementing lockdown-like restrictions on all days of the week across Karnataka. Besides lockdown, the cabinet is also mulling providing free of cost COVID-19 vaccinations, official sources told PTI. 

"Weekend curfew restrictions are in place till May 4 and as per the guidelines, it will be there next Saturday, Sunday also. Discussions are on whether to enforce curfew on weekdays, whether to go for complete lockdown or not," Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar was quoted as saying by the news agency. 

The state minister said that the cabinet will discuss the issue on Monday, following which Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa would announce the decision. “We are not in favour of lockdown, but the situation is such that we have to impose restrictions to bring things under control...We have to break the chain, it is a matter of 10-12 days, let's see... Once the numbers (cases) come down, restrictions will also reduce," Shettar told reporters in Dharwad. 

Meanwhile, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said "such proposals (lockdown) did not come during yesterday's meeting. So I don't want to comment on speculations. For now things will continue as it is."

Amid record-breaking rise in coronavirus cases, Karnataka on April 21 imposed night curfew from 9 pm to 6 am every day as well as a weekend curfew from Friday 9 pm to Monday 6 am. These curbs will last till May 4. 

Karnataka registered 34,804 new COVID-19 cases in a day, of which  Bengaluru accounted for 20,733 cases, according to the state health bulletin released on Sunday. The state's total caseload mounted to 13,39,201, including 2,62,162 active cases. 

(With inputs from agencies)