No night curfew in Karnataka from Jan 31; social, religious gatherings remain prohibited

News Network

January 29, 2022

Bengaluru, Jan 29: With the third wave of Covid-19 receding, Karnataka decided Saturday to remove most of the curbs, including revoking the daily night curfew and allowing schools to resume physical classes.

“We have good news for the public. From January 31, there won’t be a night curfew,” Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, briefing reporters after a meeting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired with experts.

The government also decided to remove the 50 per cent seating limitation on pubs, restaurants, hotels and eateries. “They are now 100 per cent open,” Ashoka said. This was a demand from hotels who asked the government for relief from their business point-of-view.

Primary & Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said schools in the Bengaluru Urban district can start physical classes for classes 1 to 9 from Monday. “Physical classes from 1 to 9 were stopped due to the third wave. From Monday, all classes will open in compliance with Covid-appropriate behaviour,” he said.

The standard operating procedure in Bengaluru will be the same as the other districts. “If any positive case is found, only that particular class will be closed, not the entire school. All kids in that class will be tested. Depending on the total number of positive cases, the deputy commissioner will decide on how long a school should be closed - three or five days,” Nagesh explained.
Even degree colleges will open in Bengaluru.

The decisions are based on data and trends that experts laid out before the government.

“The total number of cases across all ages is 4.02 lakh. Of them, cases of children aged 0-14 are 22,318. That’s 5.5 per cent of total cases. The total number of hospitalsed cases is 6,732, which is 1.6 per cent. Of them, children in hospital are 401, or 1.8 per cent. Total deaths are 146, which is 0.03 per cent. The positivity rate has dropped to 20.9 per cent from a peak of 33%,” Ashoka said.

The 50 per cent capacity rule will continue in theatres and multiplexes where Ashoka said people sit for hours together in an enclosed space. Likewise, the 50 per cent rule has been retained for swimming pools, gyms, sports complexes and stadia.

The government further increased the cap on the number of guests at functions like marriages. “For marriages, we’re increasing the cap on guests from 200 to 300 in an open space, and from 100 to 200 in a closed space,” Ashoka said.

In places of religious worship, the existing rule allowing only 50 people inside at a time will continue. “We are allowing resumption of sevas,” Ashoka said.

All fairs, rallies, dharnas, protests, social/religious gatherings remain prohibited.

Government offices that were asked to function at 50 per cent strength will return to full attendance, Ashoka said.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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