U-turn on complete lockdown in Hassan

Hassan district administration, which announced a four-day complete lockdown in a week on Wednesday afternoon, did a U-turn by evening. The State-wide lockdown, as it has been in effect since April 27, will be in force in Hassan too.

Earlier in the day, Minister for Excise K. Gopalaiah, who held a meeting with elected representatives and officers, had announced that the shops that sell essential items would be allowed to function only between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There would be complete lockdown on four other days in the week.

The Minister had said that the decision had been taen as the number of COVID-19 cases had been increasing in the district. It would be difficult to contain the spread of the infection unless a stricter lockdown was imposed, he had said.

However, within hours, the administration withdrew the decision. The district administration resolved to go by the instructions from the State government. Mr. Gopalaiah told the media that the decision of four-day complete lockdown had been cancelled. “We have decided to follow the instructions from the Central government and State government. As of now, the guidelines of lockdown applied for the State will be in place in Hassan also”, he said.

Lok Sabha member Prajwal Revanna, MLAs H.D. Revanna, K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, C.N. Balakrishna, and K.S.Lingesh, and officers attended the meeting.

“We will not face a shortage of oxygen only if the number of COVID-19 cases comes down with the blessings of almighty”, said Deputy Commissioner R. Girish at the meeting. “If the cases continue to increase, we will be in trouble”, he said.

Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences, where a designated COVID-19 hospital is set up, has a storage plant of 13kl capacity. With that 400 beds had been getting oxygen. The private oxygen producers were supplying 500 jumbo cylinders, which were sufficient for taluk hospitals and private hospitals. “If the cases go up, it would be difficult to manage with the available oxygen”, Mr. Girish added.

1,603 fresh cases

Hassan district reported 1,603 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 10 more deaths due to the infection on Wednesday. With that, the total number of cases rose to 46,695 and the death toll stands at 631. So far 35,137 have recovered from the infection and 10,927 are undergoing treatment. Of them 95 are in the intensive care units.

Of the dead five are from Hassan taluk, two from Alur, and one each from Arkalgud, Arsikere and Belur taluks. Of the fresh cases, the highest of 509 was reported in Hassan taluk, followed by 408 in Channarayapatna, 186 in Holenarsipur, 161 in Sakleshpur, 122 in Arsikere, 107 in Arkalgud, 19 in Alur, 43 in Belur and 48 from other districts.

With the number of cases increasing Hassan district administration is struggling hard to accommodate them in hospitals. All 450 beds in HIMS are occupied. The administration has decided to enhance the number of beds in the hospital.

Couple succumb

A person and his wife succumbed to COVID-19 in Alur. Raje Gowda, 75, a retired police official and his wife Rathnamma, 68, of Turuganahalli in Alur taluk, were under treatment at Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences in Hassan.

Rathnamma tested positive for COVID-19 infection a week ago. She was admitted to the hospital. Her husband was taking care of her. Three days ago he also tested positive. Both were under treatment in the same hospital. While Rathnamma died on Tuesday night, Raje Gowda succumbed on Wednesday.

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