Bengaluru Records Steep Rise In Covid Cases As Second Wave Hits Karnataka

Bengaluru is seeing the maximum number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, a state that has been hit by a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Sunday night's data showed over 2,000 fresh cases in the state capital.

Just a week ago, the Jayanagar General Hospital, a government hospital in south Bengaluru, had set aside 50 beds with oxygen for Covid patients, as the second wave began to hit the city.

Now that number has doubled to 100 beds - with 85 to 90 occupied.

"Karnataka is also seeing a steep surge. In 30 days, I can see almost 10 times more than in the initial days of March. We saw only 300 cases on March 1st, 2nd and 3rd. But by the end of March we are seeing almost 3,000 cases, predominantly in Bengaluru itself," Dr K Sudhakar, Health and Medical Education Minister said.

"This is great alarm for us, and we need to upscale all our precautionary measures," he added.

But the question on the minds of many - will this surge in numbers lead to a lockdown or curfew?

Dr Sudhakar said that was not the case just yet. "I think that situation still does not exist in Karnataka," he said.

"We need to inhibit, regulate certain activities for sure. Any form of congregation whether religious or political should be discouraged irrespective of caste, creed, religion, politics - because this is the only way forward," he added.

So, the stress is on the public needing to follow Covid protocols.

But a whopping Rs 10 crore in fines collected over the last year by the city corporation BBMP is actually an indication that wearing a mask is not yet a universal habit.