BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Monday said that health and corporation officials in Bengaluru will conduct tests on all those who come to Bengaluru from Kerala and Maharashtra, without a negative RT-PCR report.He said that those coming in with a negative certificate but who still show symptoms, will also have to undergo a test.
Until the test reports come in, they will have to remain in quarantine -- either home or institutional. If their reports turn positive and they do not have proper home isolation facilities, they will be shifted to institutional quarantine. He said directions have also been issued to police, marshals and healthcare workers to intensify checks and testing, and penalise people for not following Covid-appropriate behaviour.
“The situation is not normal. The virus prevails, so all measures are being taken by the government. However, citizens are requested not to let their guard down. They must avoid visiting markets and crowded places. Night curfew timings should be adhered to and further relaxations will be taken by the government based on the situation and advice of the Technical Advisory Committee,” he said.
Bengaluru Urban DC J Manjunath said that as people are arriving via road from Kerala and Maharashtra, inspection teams have been deployed at check-posts, and RT-PCR test reports are being verified. “If there is no RT-PCR report, then swab samples are collected and until reports come, the traveller will remain in institutional quarantine and will be monitored,” he said, adding that he had already spoken to the Rural SP on this.
After holding a coordination meeting with BBMP officials, Bengaluru Urban Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said that police and BBMP are working in coordination, and that cases will be filed against those who are not following Covid rules. BBMP Administrator Rakesh Singh added that if citizens are found flouting rules even after raising awareness, they must be penalised and cases filed against them. Also, police cooperation is the key to ensure that night curfew is followed properly.
Gupta added that at present, there are 400 government quota beds for Covid-19 patients and notice can be given for 13,000 any time, based on the number of cases. Private hospitals must also ensure that they have their oxygen plants ready at the earliest. The dependency on tankers should reduce. Since most BBMP hospitals do not have space, oxygen manufacturing plants have been set up in maternity homes wherever possible.