The Karnataka government exempted essential services, goods delivery and e-commerce operations from the 10-day Corona night curfew from Saturday in Covid-hit 7 cities, including Bengaluru across the state to contain the pandemic, a top official said on Friday.

"Travel for essential services, goods delivery and e-commerce operations will be allowed during the Corona curfew from April 10-20 between 10 pm and 5 am in 7 cities to contain the virus spread," state chief secretary P. Ravi Kumar in an order here.

The 7 cities where night curfew will be imposed are Bengaluru, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Udupi across the southern state.

Curfew enforced

The order has also exempted persons with health issues and their attendants to travel to hospitals or clinics during the 7-hour night curfew.

"Medical and emergency services will be allowed during the curfew hours while all other activities will be restricted," said the order.

Industrial employees working in the night shift should reach their factories before 10pm and leave only after 5am.

How to travel during curfew?

"Those commuting during the curfew from the bus stand, railway station and airport will have to show tickets as proof of travel to the police to allow them to reach their home," said the order.

The order has permitted persons taking bus, train or flight from cities under curfew can travel in car, auto or taxi to bus stand, railway station and airport on showing their ticket to travel to other destinations.

A police personnel canes a motorcyclist during a curfew following violence in the city due to the Cauvery water sharing dispute with neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, in Bangalore on September 13, 2016
MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images

"All those other than permitted people will be strictly dealt with if violating the curfew and Covid-induced guidelines under the Disaster Management Act," said Kumar in the order.

According to the state health bulletin, a record 7,955 new cases were reported on Thursday, taking the state's Covid tally to 10,48,085, including 58,084 active cases.

As epi-centre of the pandemic in the southern state, Bengaluru registered 5,576 fresh cases, taking the city's Covid tally to 4,70,014, including 42,525 active cases.

With 46 patients, including 29 in Bengaluru succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours, the state's death toll rose to 12,813 and the city's toll to 4,769 sine the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago.

Of the 378 patients in the intensive care units (ICUs), 169 are in Bengaluru hospitals.

(With inputs from IANS)