BENGALURU: In the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the State, the Karnataka government on Saturday said only the sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals for the next two weeks to prevent crowding.
The government has asked all the other patients with mild illness requiring outpatient or follow-up care not to visit hospitals till then or till further orders.
"In pursuant to the existing COVID-19 situation, it is hereby informed that only sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals/super-specialty hospitals and autonomous institutions," a notification from the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, T K Anil Kumar said.
All other patients with mild illness which requires outpatient care/ follow-up care/elective case including dental patients should not visit the hospitals for the next two weeks or till further orders to prevent crowding and the spread of COVID-19, it said.
Private hospitals have also been instructed to take similar steps.
The State has been registering a spike in cases.
On Friday, there were 28,723 new cases, including 20,121 in the Bengaluru urban.
Meanwhile, the weekend curfew imposed by the Karnataka government from Friday night to Monday morning in view of the spread of Covid-19 is being strictly enforced by the police in the twin districts of Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi.
The two coastal districts on Friday reported 1,136 new Covid-19 cases.
While DK recorded 639 cases, Udupi saw 497.
Police personnel are on strict vigil to ensure that vehicles and people are not moving unnecessarily on the roads.
Barricades have been erected at various places.
Most of the roads are deserted, while a few buses are operating with a small number of passengers.
Those violating curfew norms are being penalised by the police in all places.