<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">Karnataka Health and Medical Education minister Dr. K Sudhakar has cautioned that they will be compelled to initiate tougher measures to contain the pandemic if the Covid guidelines are ignored by the citizens.</span></p><br />''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;"> Speaking to the media persons in Bengaluru today, he said, a decision on containment measures will be taken after the PM's video conference with the Chief Ministers tomorrow. Saying that the Covid cases are on the rise again in the state, the minister said that efforts will be stepped up to create awareness among the public. </span></p><br />''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #222222;">He added that the spike in cases is due to an increase in the number of cases at bordering districts of Maharashtra and Kerala. He informed that Primary hospitals are instructed to conduct at least 100 Covid tests and general hospitals to do 500 tests per day. They have been also told to trace at least 20 primary and secondary contacts for every infected person found. The minister said that 15 lakh people have been vaccinated so far in the state.</span></p>