Karnataka government further eases Covid curbs from July 5further eases Covid curbs from July 5

Bengaluru: The State government further relaxed the COVID-19-related restrictions allowing certain activities, including re-opening of religious places and conducting of weddings. The relaxations would be in place for the next 15 days from July 6, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said after chairing a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues and senior officials on Saturday. Theatres, cinemas and pubs would remain closed while swimming pools would be opened only for competitive training purpose.

Further, sports complexes and stadia shall be opened only for the purpose of practice whereas social, political, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other gatherings and large congregations have been prohibited. Weddings and family functions are permitted with the presence of not more than 100 people. Places of worship are allowed to open only for 'darshan' not for 'sevas.'

The order said cremation and funerals would be allowed with a maximum of 20 people while public transport is allowed to operate up to its seating capacity.

"Shops, restaurants, malls, and private offices have to enforce COVID-appropriate behaviour failing which action will be initiated under the Disaster Management Act, 2005," Yediyurappa said. Educational institutions, tutorials and colleges would remain shut until further orders, he said.

Night curfew would continue to be in force from 9 PM to 5 AM the next day, he said.

Deputy Commissioners of the districts, based on the assessment of the COVID situation and after consultation with the district-in-charge Minister, may impose additional containment measures, he added. The COVID-19-related restrictions came into effect from April 27 and were made stringent from May 10 to June 14 in view of the alarming rise in the virus cases in April, which had gone beyond 50,000 cases a day while the daily fatalities exceeded 600 cases.

The active cases too went beyond six lakh. The subsequent weeks saw a big medical emergency unfolding in the city with most of the hospitals running short of beds, oxygen and life-saving drugs. As an effect of the lockdown, the daily cases came down significantly. Today, 2,082 fresh cases, 86 fatalities and 48,116 active cases were reported.

The government started easing restrictions from June 14.