A partial lockdown for one week was enforced in Mysuru city with areas coming under four police station limits in Narasimharaja Assembly constituency identified as ‘restricted’ zones from 6 a.m. of Friday (July 17) to 6 a.m. of July 24.
The curbs are in force in Narasimharaja, Mandi Mohalla, Udayagiri and Lashkar Mohalla Police Station limits.
As on Thursday, Mysuru had reported 1,320 COVID-19 cases with the number of active cases standing at 739. The cases were crossing the 100-mark almost daily, leading to disquiet among the residents. The death toll had climbed to 50.
Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar passed the lockdown order on Thursday night, listing out details on the services exempted from the curbs besides the steps being taken in the regulated areas for containing the COVID-19 spread and stopping the deaths.
All commercial activities and services in the lockdown areas had been prohibited barring essential services such as milk, groceries, medical shops, fruits and vegetables, banking services and government offices. Meat shops will open only on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
No public gatherings are allowed inside places of worship. There is no curb on already-planned weddings with the participation of guests restricted to less than 50 persons and strict enforcement of the SOPs.
Though there is no ban on the public of other areas using the access routes in the regulated areas for their movement, unnecessary travel has been strictly prohibited. Tea shops and dine-in hotels/restaurants will remain shut with permission given for parcel and home delivery services.
Mr. Sankar said complete lockdown will be enforced in a radius of 400 metres of the COVID-19 victims’ houses in KHB Colony, Udayagiri, Rajiv Nagar, Beedi Colony and Sathagalli. In these areas, shops selling essential commodities can operate from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Barring government employees, others from the areas have to stay indoors.
The residents of the areas under complete lockdown will undergo screening and swab tests will be conducted using the Rapid Antigen Kits, if necessary. In case of infection, such persons would be shifted in ambulances to hospitals.
As many as 400 antigen kits had been set aside for the task and District TB Officer Ravi had been told to hand over the kits to the health workers for carrying out the tests as mandated.
Also, the Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation, Gurudatta Hegde, had been told to establish COVID-19 Care Centres locally for isolating asymptomatic patients and patients with mild symptoms.
Mr. Sankar cited late admission to hospital as the reason for deaths in Narasimharaja segment and a few areas adjoining this segment in Chamaraja constituency. The severity of infection can be reduced if the contagion was detected in advance and treatment was given accordingly. The situation is becoming serious with the public not coming forward to undergo screening and treatment, he added.
