Bengaluru,  Karnataka minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will lay focus on creating micro-containment zones in the villages to curb the spread of the pandemic in the rural areas during his interaction with a select group of panchayat officials on Wednesday.

Bommai told reporters here that the Chief Minister would virtually interact with a select group of panchayat officials from the villages which are reporting high Covid cases on Wednesday, focusing on creating micro-containment zones.

The Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that with the Covid situation showing signs of improvement in Bengaluru, the epicentre of the pandemic in the southern state, the state government is now focusing on the rural areas to contain the virus spread.

"Therefore, the district administrations have been given a free hand, including the authority to announce lockdown measures locally," Bommai said.

The minister added that instructions have been given to the panchayat development officers (PDOs), health workers and police officers for micro-contaminant in the rural areas.

"The panchayats will also be asked to ensure ration and medicine supplies for the needy," he said.

On black fungus infection, Bommai said the state ministers have held discussions with Union minister D.V. Sadananada Gowda, who has assured that the Centre will supply 1,000 vials of medicine for the treatment of Mucormycosis (black fungus).

Bommai also said that directions have been given to make special arrangements, including setting up ICUs at paediatric wards in the district hospitals, for the treatment of children in the days to come.

On increasing Covid related deaths despite the number of cases gradually coming under control, Bommai said that the mutating virus in the second wave is spreading fast and within two to three days of infection, many are experiencing drop in oxygen level besides developing pneumonia-like symptoms, among others, unlike last time.