Karnataka redefines containment zones

Bengaluru, Aug 20: The Karnataka government has re-defined containment zones in Bengaluru and also the rules governing them.

A notification released by Health Commissioner, Pankaj Pandey described a containment zone as a well defined area around the home of a COVID-19 positive person.

"In an apartment complex, this would be the floor which has the residence of the Covid-positive person. For an independent house or villa - it would just be the individual house or villa," the notification read.

The notification also said, in a slum, it would be the street that has the residence of the Covid-positive person. For rural areas, it would be the complete habitation of the Covid-positive person or a small contiguous area as appropriate.

Further the government directed the authorities to past a notice outside the house or residence of a COVID-19 positive individual and also inform the neighbours and where applicable the RWA or apartment owners' association.

Further the notification cautions against setting up or barricades or hard barriers, in such cases. Stamping of a COVID-19 positive person's hand or their contacts is also necessary, the notification said.

Buffer zones have been defined as an area of 200 meters around the perimeter of containment areas in both rural and urban districts. There will active surveillance of both containment and buffer zones, the government said. House to house would occur daily in containment zones and twice a week in buffer zones.

An area which is defined as a containment zone would return to normal only if no new cases are reported for at least 14 days after the last case. All contacts of the last detected will be followed up on for the same period.