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Bengaluru, Jun 22: Areas having three to four COVID-19 cases being termed as clusters will be totally sealed and maximum testing will be conducted there, moreover only critical cases will be shifted to COVID hospitals in Bengaluru, said Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Speaking to media persons, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "It has been decided that clusters (areas having 3-4 #COVID19 cases) will be totally sealed and maximum testing will be done there. Only critical cases will be shifted to Covid hospitals. I demanded that police personnel are tested on priority."

"A lot of issues were discussed about the spike in COVID-19 cases. As far as hospitals are concerned there are two types of patients, asymptomatic and symptomatic, moderate and critical. Moderate and normal cases can be shifted to COVID centres," he added.

Bommai further added that beds in hospitals need to be reserved for corona warriors as well.

"There has to be a coordination between BBPM who brings the patient and the hospital, the moment a positive case is reported to avoid the waiting period. Even in hospitals, some beds have to be reserved for corona warriors. Community transmission is not yet there but we have to be prepared," he added.

Earlier today, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had called an emergency meeting of concerned officials and departments to discuss measures to control rising COVID19 cases in Bengaluru.

As the numbers of COVID-19 cases are increasing in Bengaluru at an alarming rate, the Chief Minister opined that this can be contained only if preventive measures were implemented strictly.

He directed the officials to implement lockdown strictly in the clusters, which reported more number of cases, especially KR Market and surrounding areas such as Siddapura, VV Puram, Kalasipalya. It was decided to seal the adjoining streets, where the cases are reported.

He said that stringent action would be taken against those who violate quarantine and FIR would be filed if necessary.

Officers were directed to fix rates for treatment of COVID patients in private hospitals to make coronavirus treatment accessible to all.

Yediyurappa further instructed officials to set up fever clinics in all wards and maintain hygiene and provide other basic amenities to the people who were quarantined in social welfare hostels and other government institutions.

"COVID-19 should be contained without affecting the economic activities in Bengaluru, which resumed recently," he said.

"COVID War Room shall have real-time information on the availability of beds in various COVID hospitals and shall facilitate the infected person to avail treatment without losing any time," added Yediyurappa.

Bengaluru, Feb 13: UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid quit the Boris Johnson government as part of a cabinet reshuffle unfolding on Thursday and has been replaced by Rishi Sunak, reports said.

Indian-descent Sunak, 39, who is married to Akshata, the daughter of Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, was Chief Secretary to the Treasury since July 2019.

An analyst with Goldman Sachs before joining politics in 2014, Sunak, whose grandparents were from Punjab and emigrated to the UK from east Africa, is MP from Richmond (Yorkshire). He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government in the Theresa May government.

Pakistani-descent Javid, who became the first Asian to become a Cabinet Minister when he was made Secretary of State of culture, Media and Sports in the David Cameron government in 2014 after stints as Economic Secretary to the Treasury (2012-13) and Financial Secretary (2013-14), was earlier the Home Secretary in the the Theresa May government.

He had then cleared absconding businessman Vijay Mallya's extradition to India in February last year following the decision by the Westminister Magistrates Court in December 2018.

Javid, who ran for Conservative Party leadership after May quit but lost to Boris Johnson, was made Chancellor by the later. In the reshuffle on Thursday, he was offered to retain his post if he fired all his advisors but declined and quit, the BBC reported.

Bengaluru, Jul 9: The M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium and the Bengaluru Palace in Karnataka will be converted into a COVID-19 care centre, informed the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Thursday.

The Bangalore International Exhibition Centre was also recently converted into a COVID-19 care facility by the state government amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

R Ashoka, the state's COVID management in charge said, "People of Bangalore need not panic. All necessary equipment and preparation are being arranged by the state. We have over 600 ambulances ready to take care of COVID patients."

As per the data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka now has a total of 28,877 COVID-19 cases, including 16,531 active cases and 11,876 recoveries.

470 people have died of the infectious virus in the state so far.