No proposal to extend lockdown in Bengaluru: CM Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: There is no proposal to extend the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts to be enforced from Tuesday night to check rising COVID-19 case, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Monday, appealing to the people to cooperate and not pay heed to rumors.

The clarification seeks to put at rest speculations that lockdown may be extended beyond July 22. The rumours gained momentum as some Ministers had also indicated such a course.

"The Chief Minister held COVID task force meeting. There is no proposal before the government to extend the one week long lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural. The Chief Minister has appealed people to cooperate without worrying and paying heed to rumors," his office said in a tweet.

With a spike in COVID-19 cases in the past weeks, the state government has announced complete lockdown in the two districts from Tuesday 8 PM to July 22 5 AM.

Bengaluru Urban tops the districts in the number of coronavirus cases with an infection count of 18,387 out of the state's tally of 38,843.

Out of 2,627 fresh cases, highest so far, reported in the state on Sunday, a whopping 1,525 were from Bengaluru Urban.

Late on Monday, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar issued guidelines as per which shops selling essentials, including milk, groceries vegetables, would be permitted to open from 5 am to 12 pm during the lockdown.