Covid-19: Green zone Shivamogga now sees red

SHIVAMOGGA: Barely a week after lockdown restrictions were partially lifted, Shivamogga, green zone, reported eight Covid-19 positive cases on Sunday. Officials ruled out community transmission since all eight attended the Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi and later travelled to Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Seven are from Shikaripura, chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s hometown, while the other is from Tirthahalli.Officials said the eight came to Shivamogga on Friday night and were subjected to medical tests on Saturday at Shivamogga’s Sahyadri College camp. Immediately after the positive tests were confirmed, they were moved to a designated Covid hospital.
Rural development and panchayat raj minister KS Eshwarappa said the district’s status as a green zone will not be impacted despite the cases.
Eshwarappa said in all nine people from the district, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi, had also gone to Ahmedabad. They had applied online for passes to travel to Shikaripura. When they left Gujarat they had no symptoms of Covid-19. They had travelled to Shivamogga via Mumbai.
Hours after the positive tests were confirmed, district authorities swung into action and put in place precautionary measures in Shikaripur. It led to some tension. The minister said they are gathering information about the vehicle in which the nine travelled as well as the co-passengers.
Deputy commissioner KB Sivakumar said a total 148 people from seven states had arrived in the district in the last two days.