From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 13: After Kalaburagi district in Karnataka recorded India’s first death due to the dreaded global epidemic coronavirus or COVID-19, chief minister B S Yediyurappa has announced a week’s virtual lockdown of the State starting Saturday, March 14.

Addressing a news conference in Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Friday, the chief minister has ordered closure of all malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs besides schools and colleges in the state for a week.

On reviewing the situation after a week, next course of action will be decided, he said.

Yediyurappa issued instructions to stop all kinds of exhibitions, summer camps, conferences, fairs, marriage, sports and engagement events and birthday parties state-wide for a week from Saturday.

"We will close all universities for a week in the entire State," he declared and said barring the ongoing SSLC examinations everything will come to a halt in the State.

The chief minister advised people to avoid travelling as much as possible, adding instructions have been issued to pay special attention at government residential schools and hostels.

Examinations like Class 10 and others will go on as per schedule, he said, adding schools will continue to remain shut, colleges will also be closed for a week.

The chief minister said, IT professionals and other professionals working in air-conditioned places should work from home for time being, for about a week.

"We are giving this suggestion as an advice," he said.

He, however, said government offices and assembly session will continue as usual.

Yediyurappa said the measures were taken in public interest and sought their cooperation.

The chief minister made it clear that the decision has been arrived at after discussion with medical experts and officials.

In its latest bulletin regarding COVID-19, the State government said six samples were found positive for COVID-19 including that of the 76-year old man from Kalaburagi.

The chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murthy had yesterday urged the Karnataka government to take steps to shut malls and theatres, saying the coronavirus multiplies in air-conditioned areas.

She suggested closure of all schools and colleges with immediate effect, malls, theatres and all air-conditioned areas where the virus multiplies and allow only essential services like pharmacy, grocery and petrol bunks.

Meanwhile, Google confirmed that the 26-year old man who tested positive for coronavirus yesterday was a company employee of its Bengaluru office.

"The employee has been on quarantine since then, and we have asked colleagues who were in close contact with the employee to quarantine themselves and monitor their health," the company said in a statement.

District officials in Kalaburagi said 46 people who were in direct contact with the 76-year old man who died on Tuesday night due to co-morbidity and coronavirus infection have been placed under quarantine.

Kalaburagi deputy commissioner Sharat B said 31 of them have been categorised as 'high risk' and the remaining 15 as 'low risk;.

The high-risk persons are being shifted to ESIC hospital in Kalaburagi.

Officials said four family members of the man have displayed flu symptoms and their swab samples have been sent for testing in Bengaluru.

Highlights of steps announced by CM:

• Malls, film theatres, night clubs to be closed for a week from Saturday
• Summer camps, meetings, sports events, symposiums are not be organized
• Government residential schools, hostels to take utmost care
• Government offices, examinations, Assembly sessions will be held without disruption.
• One week holiday to be announced to Universities and Colleges
• The chief minister has requested the people to cooperate
• The decision was taken after a discussion with senior officers from different departments and Dr Devi Shetty in the wake of a death due to coronavirus in Kalaburgi
• Guidelines will be issued to take precautionary measures to control the spread of the disease
• All private hospitals should compulsorily report to the health department if they come across any person they suspect to be infected with coronavirus. Private hospitals have already been instructed about it
• Travellers who have returned from foreign trips should report to the Health Department and provide information
• They are instructed to compulsorily remain in home isolation for 14 days
• All hospitals, dispensaries and private clinics have to report to the Health Department regarding the treatment given to the persons returned from foreign trips in last 14 days
• All private hospitals are requested to cooperate
• Indian Medical Association, Dr Devi Shetty, Dr Ravindra president of Private Hospitals Association and other concerned persons who discussed with the chief minister have extended their full cooperation to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection
• Social distancing to be maintained and a minimum of 6 feet distance between persons to be kept
• Additional laboratories to be established for detection of coronavirus
• Committee to be formed for coordination with private hospitals
• IT Companies are requested to instruct their employees to work from home

Deputy chief ministers Govind M Karjol and Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, B Sriramulu, Minister for Health, Dr D Sudhakar, Minister for Medical Education, S Suresh Kumar, Minister for Primary Education, T M VijayaBhaskar, chief secretary to Government and other senior officers were present in the meeting.