Bengaluru: Owing to the spike in Covid cases in rural areas, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will interact with select gram panchayats reporting high caseload via video conferences on Tuesday, May 26 regarding containment measures.

“Tomorrow the Chief Minister will interact with select gram panchayats with high cases, via video conference,” Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Speaking to media persons he said, with indications that Covid is under control in cities like Bengaluru, the government’s focus is now on rural areas, and hence district administrations have been given greater responsibility including implementation of lockdown locally.

Bommai said instructions have been given for micro containments in rural areas, PDOs (Panchayath Development Officers), health officers, and police officers of the respective limits have been given the responsibility. They have also been asked to ensure ration and medicine supplies to the needy, he said. Instructions have been given to test primary and secondary contacts of those infected compulsorily and provide vitamin and zinc tablets to primary contacts. Bommai said that the state ministers have held discussions on black fungus with Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizer D V Sadananada Gowda, who has assured that the Centre will supply 1,000 vials of medicine for the treatment of black fungus.