Karnataka may bring back school Covid guidelines, 23 new cases in Bengaluru

State health department authorities are contemplating enforcing guidelines for school children in Karnataka in the wake of a spurt in the number of Covid cases.

The department is closely monitoring the situation in schools and is contemplating implementing guidelines in the first week of January, according to sources.

Experts have predicted a peak in the number of cases in the first and second weeks of January in Karnataka.

Authorities are considering making the wearing of masks compulsory for students, teachers, and staff in schools. They are also contemplating social distancing during prayers, in seating arrangements, and sanitizing the school premises, among other measures.

Sources said authorities are keeping a close watch on the numbers and assessing the situation after New Year and Christmas celebrations. They will decide on further action after analysing the situation and the number of fresh Covid cases.

According to latest reports from Karnataka's department of health and family welfare, 23 new positive cases of Covid have been reported in Bengaluru, one each from Dakshina Kannada and Bengaluru Rural districts, taking the total to 25 in the state.

Bengaluru rural DC Dr. N. Shivashankara confirmed a Covid infection in a baby from Nallur in Devanahalli taluk on Friday. The baby was earlier admitted to Sparsha Makkala Dhama for fever and cold, but is now isolated and being treated at the taluk hospital.

The department stated that the number of total active patients has risen to 105 from 92. "Among these, 85 are isolated at home while 20 persons have been hospitalised. Nine are being treated in the ICU. The positivity rate has come down to 1.6 per cent from 2.47 per cent on Wednesday. The case fatality rate stands at zero per cent," an official said.

A total of 2,263 Covid tests were conducted in the last 24 hours for symptomatic persons, of which 1,791 were RT-PCR and 472 were RAT. Eleven persons were discharged in the last 24 hours.