Covid-19: Karnataka government imposes night curfew till January 2

Karnataka will impose a state-wide night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am starting December 24. The curfew will be in effect till 5 am on January 2, 2021, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced.

Yediyurappa said that the curfew was being imposed to contain Covid-19, after a new strain was recently discovered.

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"In view of the new strain of Covid-19 virus and as per advice from Government of India and the Technical Advisory Committee, it was decided to impose night curfew till January 2," he said.

The curfew will last for nine days and will be applicable to the entire state, Yediyurappa said. All events between 5 am to 11 pm will be permitted, he added.

Highlighting fresh regulations for international passengers, he said that all of them should travel with a RT-PCR test certificate, conducted 72 hours prior to travel.

Arrangements are already in place at the Bengaluru International Airport to test all passengers. Staff from Health and Family Welfare Department are also deputed at the facility. "We are making sure that nobody enters the state from abroad without being tested," the CM said.

He requested citizens to take precautionary measures "to prevent and contain the new Covid-19 strain".

On reopening schools and colleges, he said that the government had decided to reopen them from Jan. 1 and that the plan was on track but would be subject to developments in the next three days. "As of now, schools will reopen on Jan. 1," he said.