Another lockdown in Bengaluru if Covid scene worsens, warns civic body

Bengaluru, Feb 23: Bengaluru Municipal Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has warned that the Karnataka government may reintroduce a lockdown if if people fail to exercise caution amid rising coronavirus or COVID-19 cases.

"We need to strictly enforce social distancing norms as well as compulsory wearing of masks. We can not ignore these two basic requirements to keep this virus at bay. Even the slightest laxity in implementing these norms could push them to the brink of lockdown in Bengaluru at least," news agency IANS quoted the official as saying.

The statement assumes significance as neighbouring states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Bengaluru has been witnessing a surge in new covid cases. Two COVID-19 clusters have been detected in Bengaluru withig 10 tens.

On February 13, the first cluster was found at Manjushree Nursing College near Kaval Byrasandra in the city, where 42 students of 210 students tested positive. Most of them are from Kerala.

On February 15, another cluster was found as 104 residents of an apartment complex in Bommanahalli, tested positive, with 96 of them above the age of 60 years. The apartments house 1,052 people.