BENGALURU: Covid-19 infections in Bengaluru are rising, and the concentration of new cases in the core areas of the city - unlike in the past when clusters broke out in the peripheral areas - has civic officials worried. In the past 10 days, the Bengaluru saw 6,649 new infections, and the highest number - 1,348 or one in five - were from the South zone. Most cases are being reported from apartment complexes and hostels in core areas of the city.
Bommanahalli reported the second highest 1,165 (17%), followed by East Zone (1,070), and Mahadevapura (1,020). War room data also shows that the following 10 wards have the highest number of cases: Bellandur, HSR Layout, Shantala Nagar, Hagadur, Arakere, RR Nagar, Doddanekundi, Begur, Banaswadi and New Thippasandra. Wards which saw 1-3 cases in the last 10 days include Kadugondanahalli, Kushal Nagar, Lakshmi Devi Nagar, Devara Jeevanahalli, Rayapuram, Muneeshwara Nagar, Siddapura, Kempapura Agrahara and Jagjivanaram Nagar.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said that more cases were seen in East, West, South, Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli zones, while the remaining three saw fewer cases. Cases are rising because people are travelling and gathering without taking precaution, he said. Data analysis of new infections shows that 90% of people who are testing positive are asymptomatic. People who had contracted the virus were failing to isolate at home, leading to the whole family catching the infection, he said.
“Fewer cases are being reported from slums as people with the slightest symptoms are going to hospitals or primary health centres to get themselves tested. However, people in apartments and other areas are not getting themselves tested or adhering to quarantine. Instead, they are mingling with other people, and as a result, many of their primary contacts also test positive,” said another BBMP official.
Will stop offline classes if cases rise: CM
Tumakuru: “If Covid-19 cases increase within a week, we will take a call on stopping offline classes in schools and colleges," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Saturday after inaugurating the Vidhana Soudha and municipal corporation buildings in Tiptur. Yediyurappa claimed that no strict Covid restrictions have been imposed during public rallies and it will apply for the coming bypolls as well. "Restrictions have been imposed for functions that are held indoors and they cannot be followed during rallies. However, I appeal to people to maintain physical distancing and wear masks," he said.
