#2ndWaveCrisis: Karnataka and TN witnesses spike in fresh covid cases, enforces strict restrictions; South worst hit?

National

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka both south Indian states are struggling with the pandemic. Cities in both states have seen cases rise exponentially. Tamil Nadu is under a two-week lockdown starting commencing from 10 May whereas Karnataka has kicked strict lockdown-like restrictions to curb the surge.

On Sunday, Tamil Nadu recorded 28,897 Covid-19 positive cases and 236 deaths, bringing the total to 13,80,259 and 15,648 cases and deaths, respectively. The test positivity rate in Tamil Nadu is 19 percent. Chennai and its surrounding districts accounted for 42% of the cases on Sunday. In response to an increase in COVID-19 incidents, the Tamil Nadu government has declared a two-week “absolute lockdown” beginning May 10. The order was released a day after the state experienced its largest single-day increase in Covid infections, with over 26,000 new cases reported. In a tweet, Chief Minister MK Stalin said the lockdown was necessary for “unavoidable reasons.”

Read More: #DelhiPeak: Delhi CM Kejriwal extends lockdown till 17 May; daily cases fall to 17K

Bengaluru’s death toll from Covid-19 reached 8,000 on Sunday, while Karnataka’s toll reached 18,776 in the last 24 hours, with 482 people succumbing to the virus. The state recorded 47,930 new cases in the last 24 hours, with a 32.7 percent positivity rate. On Sunday, Health Minister K Sudhakar declared that a vaccination campaign for people aged 18 to 44 would begin in government hospitals on Monday.

Government officials, on the other hand, say that there isn’t enough vaccine to ensure a continuous vaccine program in the coming weeks. CM BS Yediyurappa has appealed to the public to follow the strict lockdown-like restrictions that will be implemented in Karnataka from Monday for the next two weeks to control the spread of coronavirus, which is spreading at an alarming rate in the state.