‘Intelligence report’ on Siddaramaiah’s assembly seat fake, clarifies CMO

Bengaluru, Apr 23: Nine new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka in the last 24 hours.

Out of these nine coronavirus positive cases, five have been reported from Kalaburagi and two each from Mysuru and Bengaluru.

According to the government of Karnataka, the total number of positive cases in the State now stands at 427 including 131 cured or discharged cases and 17 deaths.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country are 19,984, including 15,474 active cases of the virus. So far, 3,869 patients have either been cured or discharged while 640 deaths have been recorded in the country, as per data provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Bengaluru, May 5: Life is limping back to a new normalcy in most parts of Karnataka with easing of Covid-19 induced restrictions yesterday as the State headed into the third phase of lockdown started since March 24.

According to the guidelines issued by the Centre, industrial activities, construction works, essential, non-essential shops, delivery of essential goods through e- commerce, courier and postal services, banking and agriculture activities, plying of four-wheelers and two-wheelers and inter-state movement of goods vehicles is permitted in all the zones, whereas buses are allowed to ply only in green and orange zone districts.

This apart, sale of liquor was also allowed at the designated shops. Police said vehicular movement is allowed only from 7am to 7pm for ordinary citizens.

Clarifying about the movement of people, Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao tweeted, "From Monday you don't need a pass to move in Bengaluru between 7am and 7pm. After 7 pm and up to 7am the following morning, even if you have a pass you are not allowed to move except medical and essential service. Checkpoints will remain and your ID may be asked. Please be responsible." After the restrictions were lifted, heavy vehicular movement was witnessed in parts of Bengaluru leading to traffic jam in some areas.

Chikpet, which is the main trade area in Bengaluru, saw some activities.

With restrictions on public transport continuing, this unusually crowded place had very less footfall. "Movement of public is limited due to ban on public transport, such as city buses and Metro Rail.

"The trade activities are taking place between retailers," trade activist and joint secretary of Jain International Trade Organisation Sajjanraj Mehta said .

Select liquor shops in the city and other parts of the state pulled up shutters after being closed for about six weeks due to the lockdown with tipplers thronging them in huge numbers at many places.

Some traders in the city complained that they received notices regarding the Tax Deduction at Source for the month of April "thought here were no trading activities."

Meanwhile, Chief minister B S Yediyurappa announced on Monday that free bus service for migrant labourers, which is operating smoothly, has been extended till Thursday.

Gadag, Mar 28: At a time when the adminsitration is insisting on social diatancing due to COVID-19 outbreak, scores of people gathered in large numbers at an Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Gadag district to buy essential commodities.

Both men and women could be seen standing in large groups near the vendors to buy fruits and vegetables. Some of the customers were also heard bargaining with the sellers in the morning today.

A couple of days back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that social distancing is the only way to counter the spread of COVID-19, saying the virus does not discriminate and it can infect anyone.

Interacting with the people of Varanasi through video conferencing, the Prime Minister had stated that some people, despite being empowered with knowledge, are not pay heed to warning which is unfortunate.

He said the 'Mahabharata' war was won in 18 days and the war against coronavirus will take 21 days and the aim is to win it.

According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 873 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India.