Clusters with 5 or more Covid-19 cases to be containment zones: Sudhakar

The growing number of Covid-19 cases has prompted the government to bring back the idea of containment zones with officials focusing on hostels, institutions and other facilities that can develop into large clusters.

Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Monday that hostels, boarding facilities or educational institutions where five or more cases of Covid-19 are found, will be declared containment zones.

He was speaking to the media after a video conference with various district authorities on the prevention of second Covid wave and the diminishing vaccination coverage.

A circular to this effect has already been issued from the Health Department, making negative test reports mandatory for those arriving from Kerala. A similar circular was issued with respect to travellers from Maharashtra.

The declaration of an area as a containment zone will be made by local health authorities. Special surveillance measures will be initiated in such areas. No food service, hotels or restaurants can open in containment zones.

A circular to this effect was issued recently. Essentials will be arranged for by the local civic authorities, BBMP commissioner Manjunath Prasad said.

In Bengaluru, an apartment in Bellandur was declared a containment zone on Monday after 10 cases were reported. Barricades and posters informing the public of the same could be seen outside the apartment complex.

Tight borders

Meanwhile, Karnataka sealed all roads to Kerala, including national highways, except four roads connecting Dakshina Kannada with Kerala. Only those with Covid-19 negative certificates not older than 72 hours were allowed starting from Monday. Health and police personnel are on duty at four border areas -- Talapady in Mangaluru taluk, Saradka in Bantwal, Nettanige-Mudnuru in Puttur taluk and Jalsoor in Sullia, to verify and allow people’s entry into Karnataka.

The health minister had recently said it was difficult to check every single passenger for a negative Covid certificate in this regard and had sought the help of the revenue and home departments in the border areas.