Karnataka lifts weekend curfew, night curfew to continue

Bengaluru, Jan 21 (IANS) The Karnataka government on Friday announced that it has lifted the weekend curfew in the state, but restrictions on night movement will remain.The decision was the high-level committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday.Briefing reporters, Revenue Minister R. Ashok stated that the weekend curfew has been lifted in the state, as per the recommendation of experts and the relaxation is conditional. However, the night curfew between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. will continue, he underlined."The hospitalisation rate is five per cent in the state, though the number of Covid cases are increasing. The Covid numbers are likely to go upwards in the coming days. If the rate of hospitalisation is more, then the imposition of weekend curfew will be considered," he said."I appeal to the people not to give any room for that situation. The decision has been made considering the demands of organisations, opposition parties and mainly on the report of the experts," he added.Apart from this, the 50 per cent rule in pubs, theaters, malls and commercial establishments would continue as the same and the public will have to cooperate, he said. The meeting was conducted for more than two hours and experts from NIMHANS, WHO, and representatives from Home, Police, Health, Education and Irrigation Departments were present and gave their inputs, Ashok said. The decisions taken by neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Kerala were also discussed in detail, he added."As many as 2,93,231 Covid active cases are there in the state as per statistics till January 20. Among them 2.86 lakh people are being treated in home isolation and 5,344 persons have been hospitalised. 340 are in ICU and 127 are on ventilators. The positive rate in the state is 19.94 per cent. The positivity rate among kids is 8 per cent and among elders is 16.57 per cent. Chief Minister Bommai has directed to take more care about children who are admitted," the minister said.
--IANS mka/vd

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