<span style="color: #222222;">Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has expressed concerns at the growing numbers of Covid cases in Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Ballary, Udupi and Kalburgi districts.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Addressing functionaries of all the districts through video Conference today, he asked them to focus on reducing the fatality, especially in Bidar which is among the top five districts in the country with the highest mortality rate.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He asked them to hire on contract basis the health workers, in case of shortage.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Along with Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, the district administrations in Mangaluru and Dharwad too have decided to impose the lockdown from one week to ten days.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that lockdown will be imposed with stringent guidelines and those violating the norms will be dealt with strictly.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Deputy Chief Minister DR. C N Ashwathnarayan has appealed to the Chief Minister to initiate action against private hospitals and medical colleges which have not allocated 50 percent of their beds to the Government as promised.</span><br />''  <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports, the Chief Minister has asked the district administration to tighten grip over containment zones, identify vulnerable sections of the society, ensure proper home quarantine and help covid patients to get necessary assistance including ambulance and hospital beds.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He also asked them to take up rapid antigen tests in large numbers.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Transport minister Lakshman Savadi has said that there is an exodus of people from Bengaluru before the lockdown commences tomorrow.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Hence for the convenience of such people, the Karnataka road transport Corporation will run 1600 buses till tomorrow. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">According to him around 12000 passengers had moved out of Bengaluru till afternoon today.</span><br />''