MANGALURU: Covid-19 cases continued to decline in Dakshina Kannada, with 506 people testing positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday.
With three more Covid related fatalities, the death toll in the district rose to 972.
The district was reporting an average of 605 cases in the past one week.
After 479 patients being discharged, the district has 6,972 active cases.
District minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari chaired a meeting to discuss the lockdown on Friday and directed officials to make restrictions more stringent.
“Efforts should be made to bring the positivity rate down in the district.
Enforce complete lockdown in villages and towns where cases continue to spike.
The positivity rate in Sullia is 27% while in Belthangady it is 24% and Puttur has a positivity rate of 22%.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru has a positivity rate of 15%, and Bantwal has 12%.
We need to concentrate more on villages,” he said.
The minister suggested that banking should be allowed from 8am to 12pm.
Deputy commissioner K V Rajendra said that in the wake of the extension of the lockdown till June 21, relaxation has been given for authorised vehicle service centres and optical shops.
They may operate between 6am and 12pm, the DC said.
Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat CEO Kumar said houses with patients in home isolation in villages are being sealed.