BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Sunday placed at least nine districts, that have each reported at least one positive case of Covid-19, under lockdown till 31 March.

This follows the Centre's advising states to place 75 districts, that have reported positive cases, under lockdown, allowing only essential services.

Basavaraj Bommai, the state's home minister, said Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi, Kodagu, Chikaballapura, Mysuru, Belagavi and Dharwad will operate only essential services till 31 March.

“No commercial activity will be allowed," Bommai said.

He said labour intensive work places will be allowed to operate at less than 50% capacity. All commercial activities except medical stores, grocery and agriculture services will remain closed.

Karnataka has so far reported 15 cases.

Bommai said there will be no public transportation in Bengaluru on Monday, and air conditioned buses will not be allowed to operate till the end of the month. The government imposed Section 144 in Bengaluru from 9 pm to 12 pm tonight to deter people from coming out after the end of 14-hour long Janata Curfew as urged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

There will be no bus service to these nine districts. Karnataka has also decided to close its borders to avoid inter-state transport of people and vehicles to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Earlier in the day, Chief minister B.S.Yediyurappa had said that ration for the next two months will be provided in advance as part of the measures taken by the government to help out the poor and needy. Yediyurappa said that a war room will be set up at the Balboorie government guest house under the leadership of the chief minister.

The state government has also decided to screen domestic passengers arriving at Bengaluru airport. Though the exams for 10th standard, scheduled to commence on 27 March, have been postponed until further orders, the government said that the last paper for second year pre-university will be held on Monday.

Yediyurappa said that Karnataka is hopes to get more labs to conduct tests , aiming to screen at least 200 persons per million. As of Saturday, only 1377 people in Karnataka had been tested for the virus.

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