<p>Strict lockdown measures are likely to continue in eight districts of Karnataka where the Covid-19 positivity rate is still high.</p>.<p>Deputy commissioners and ministers in charge of these eight districts told Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday that they wanted the lockdown to be extended.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa chaired a review meeting of Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Mandya and Shivamogga districts.</p>.<p>Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol said he had recommended continuation of the lockdown in Belagavi, where he is the minister in charge. Excise Minister K Gopalaiah even declared that the lockdown will continue for a week after June 14 in Hassan, where he is in charge. </p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/after-data-revision-india-posts-worlds-highest-one-day-covid-deaths-995865.html">After data revision, India posts world's highest one-day Covid deaths</a></strong></p>.<p>Yediyurappa is expected to make a decision on the districts with high positivity rate during his meeting with ministers, experts and officials later in the day.</p>.<p>Of the total 2.15 lakh active Covid-19 cases, these eight districts are home to 65,000 infections. Bengaluru Urban has the highest caseload with around 98,000 cases.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa directed the deputy commissioners of the eight districts to take strict measures and reduce the positivity rate to below 5 per cent. While positivity rate was on a decline in other parts of the state, it has not decreased as expected in the eight districts, Yediyurappa said. </p>.<p>The CM also expressed concern over higher caseloads in rural areas than in urban centres of seven of the eight districts, except Mysuru. Directions were also issued to increase the number of Covid Care Centres in rural areas due to the increased caseload.</p>.<p>Chikkamagaluru had the highest positivity rate during the first week of June with 25.17 per cent, followed by Mysuru at 22 per cent.</p>.<p>However, Chikkamagaluru had traced an average of only 6.1 contacts of an infected person, compared to higher figures in the remaining districts. Yediyurappa directed officials to take up stricter contact tracing measures in Chikmagalur.</p>.<p>In districts such as Belagavi and Hassan, Yediyurappa asked officials to make sure 30 per cent of all Covid-19 tests be rapid antigen and the remaining 70 per cent to be RT-PCR. The rapid antigen tests should be conducted for only those people who show symptoms, Yediyurappa said. He also asked for RT-PCR test reports to be made available within 24 hours. </p>
<p>Strict lockdown measures are likely to continue in eight districts of Karnataka where the Covid-19 positivity rate is still high.</p>.<p>Deputy commissioners and ministers in charge of these eight districts told Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday that they wanted the lockdown to be extended.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa chaired a review meeting of Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Mandya and Shivamogga districts.</p>.<p>Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol said he had recommended continuation of the lockdown in Belagavi, where he is the minister in charge. Excise Minister K Gopalaiah even declared that the lockdown will continue for a week after June 14 in Hassan, where he is in charge. </p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/after-data-revision-india-posts-worlds-highest-one-day-covid-deaths-995865.html">After data revision, India posts world's highest one-day Covid deaths</a></strong></p>.<p>Yediyurappa is expected to make a decision on the districts with high positivity rate during his meeting with ministers, experts and officials later in the day.</p>.<p>Of the total 2.15 lakh active Covid-19 cases, these eight districts are home to 65,000 infections. Bengaluru Urban has the highest caseload with around 98,000 cases.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa directed the deputy commissioners of the eight districts to take strict measures and reduce the positivity rate to below 5 per cent. While positivity rate was on a decline in other parts of the state, it has not decreased as expected in the eight districts, Yediyurappa said. </p>.<p>The CM also expressed concern over higher caseloads in rural areas than in urban centres of seven of the eight districts, except Mysuru. Directions were also issued to increase the number of Covid Care Centres in rural areas due to the increased caseload.</p>.<p>Chikkamagaluru had the highest positivity rate during the first week of June with 25.17 per cent, followed by Mysuru at 22 per cent.</p>.<p>However, Chikkamagaluru had traced an average of only 6.1 contacts of an infected person, compared to higher figures in the remaining districts. Yediyurappa directed officials to take up stricter contact tracing measures in Chikmagalur.</p>.<p>In districts such as Belagavi and Hassan, Yediyurappa asked officials to make sure 30 per cent of all Covid-19 tests be rapid antigen and the remaining 70 per cent to be RT-PCR. The rapid antigen tests should be conducted for only those people who show symptoms, Yediyurappa said. He also asked for RT-PCR test reports to be made available within 24 hours. </p>
