Fresh Covid slows down in Bengaluru, Mysuru, 6 other districts until April 20 | Bengaluru News

BENGALURU: In the wake of the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases, the Karnataka government on Friday notified a new set of restrictions to slow the spread of the infection. These include the suspension of offline classes for higher education and professional courses, gym and swimming pool closings, 50% of theater seating in eight districts, and restricted seating in pubs and restaurants.
These restrictions in the Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Bidar and Dharwad districts will be in effect until April 20. The state reported 4,991 positive cases on Friday, the highest peak in a single day during the second wave, and a positivity rate (number of people who tested positive in 100 tests) of 4.19%. Bengaluru saw his daily Covid count cross the 3,500 mark with a positivity rate of 5.41%.

While recommending that private sector employees continue to work from home, the government said the number of people on public transportation should not exceed seating capacity. It also ordered apartment complexes to close common facilities such as gyms, party rooms, swimming pools and clubhouses.
50% limit on seating capacity in cinemas
The notification reads: “There has been a persistent increase in the number of Covid cases in the last month and not following the appropriate Covid behavior may cause a setback in the profits made by the state by cutting the chain of Covid transmission. As more young people (in the age group 10-19 years) are turning positive and the possible source of infection could be their educational institutes, the government suspended offline classes for all except classes 10, 11 and 12. Classes for those who attend universities and other professional courses, except those provided for board / university exams, are suspended. ”
The notice also put a 50% limit on seating capacity in movie theaters. This has upset the Kannada film industry and leading star Puneeth Rajkumar has called on the government to reconsider the decision. As for the clients of pubs, bars, discos and restaurants, their number should not exceed 50% of the capacity. The order also prohibits rallies and dharnas.
Dr. Giridhara Babu, member of the Technical Advisory Committee, said: “The main objective behind the imposition of these restrictions is to avoid over-spread events, as we have seen that the infection is likely to spread faster in closed and overcrowded spaces . If we monitor it for two weeks, the number of cases can be reduced. We call on people to cooperate ”.