Karnataka has imposed night curfew from today from 10 pm to 6 am. The nine-day curfew will last till 6 am on January 2. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced a meeting with Health Minister K Sudhakar, members of the state Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for Covid-19 and senior officials.
He said, "Given the new stain of the Covid-19 virus and as per the advice of the Government of India and Technical Advisory Committee, it is decided to impose night curfew from today till January 2, 2021, between 10 pm and 6 am.”
With the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Karnataka state government has taken this decision as a preventive step amid the fear evolving over a new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
CM said, “It will apply to the entire state. I request all public to cooperate to prevent and contain the new Covid- 19 strain. A guideline will be issued soon in this regard.”
The state government said, all passengers coming from the UK will have to undergo COVID-19 RT-PCR tests within 72 hours.
"This (new coronavirus variant) is something that has worried the people of the state and the country, we have come to know that a person who has arrived in Chennai has been found infected. We have to be extra cautious. Whoever comes from outside they will be checked at the airports itself before allowing them," Yediyurappa had said.
"This (night curfew) has been done to prevent and contain the coronavirus strain found in the UK. We are also monitoring international passengers arriving in the state," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, adding "there's no ban on interstate travel" and schools will reopen from January 1 for class 10 and 12.
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Karnataka on Tuesday registered 1,141 new coronavirus cases and 14 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 9,11,382 and the death toll to 12,029 while 1,136 patients were discharged after recovery.
After a new coronavirus strain was detected in the UK that has led to a surge in the country’s Covid cases, over 30 countries including India have announced a temporary UK travel ban. Italy and Denmark have also reported patients infected with the mutant strain.