State and Centre differ on red zones

Karnataka’s list has 14 districts, as opposed to three on the Centre’s list

02/05/2020, KARNATAKA
BUREAU,BELAGAVI/BENGALURU

Kalaburagi is on the State’s COVID-19 red zone district list.By Special Arrangement

Red zones

Centre’s list: Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, and Mysuru

State’s list: Bagalkot, Belagavi, Bengaluru Urban, Bidar, Chickballapur, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Mandya, Mysuru, Tumakuru, and Vijayapura

The list released on Friday by the Union government on red, orange and green zone districts has only three from Karnataka figuring in the first category. As per the State’s categorisation, the number stands at 14. This is because the guidelines on categorisation vary, and the State government is now examining the issue and will take a fresh call on it soon.

Karnataka now has only three districts in red zone — Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, and Mysuru — according to the Centre. The districts in the red zone on the State list are Bagalkot, Belagavi, Bengaluru Urban, Bidar, Chickballapur, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Mandya, Mysuru, Tumakuru, and Vijayapura.

As per the Centre’s classification, there are three red zone districts, 13 orange zone districts, and 14 green zone districts in the State. This, officials said, is the result of the new criteria for deciding zones. Factors deciding zoning include incidence and doubling rate of cases, extent of testing, surveillance feedback, and rate of recovery. An officer working with the Health Department said there was no clarity yet on the issue.

Munish Moudgil, who is in charge of the State COVID-19 war room, said the Centre’s criteria was drawn up recently. “Karnakata had an existing criteria. Besides this, the Union Government clearly says that States can add districts to the red or orange zones. The State government is examining the new guidelines and will take a call on the matter,” he said.

According to the State government’s classification as on Friday, there are 14 districts in the red zone which have at least one case reported in the past 14 days. There are four districts in the orange zone, where there are no cases have been reported in 14 days, but at least one was reported in the 15-28 day period. Twelve districts are in the green zone, not reporting a single case in 28 days.