Eleven new cases were reported from Hongasandra ward located in Bengaluru’s Bommanahalli on Friday and all have been linked to patient number 419, a 54-year-old migrant worker, who had severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), and later tested positive for COVID-19 on April 23. This takes the total number of cases in this cluster to 21.

After the initial 10 cases were reported on Thursday, the ward in West Bengaluru was disinfected and a containment zone was set up 100 metres around the ward.

Suresh Kumar, Karnataka Minister for Education, told the media on Friday that the patient’s primary contacts and secondary contacts have been identified and those who have been infected have been moved to a hospital.

"Whoever was infected has been shifted and the block has been declared as a containment zone," he said. A containment zone means that nobody is allowed to step out of their homes for any reason, except medical emergencies. Grocery shops in the area are sending essential items door-to-door, the minister said.

Dr Lokesh, Surveillance Officer, Bommanahalli Zone, said, “185 people have been identified as primary contacts of the patients, and they were on Thursday night shifted to hospital. The primary contacts have been admitted to government hospitals such as CV Raman Nagar Hospital and Bowring hospital. Around 60 people have been identified as the secondary contacts and they will be transferred by today to a hotel that has been identified for this purpose.”

None of the contacts so far are showing any symptoms yet, the official added.

The first patient, the 54-year-old migrant worker, worked at a scrap segregation unit and had gone to a private clinic with breathing difficulties. All the doctors and nurses at the private clinic have also been quarantined.

The minister also told the media that all precautions are being taken since all migrant workers who work in that area lived at the same construction site as the 54-year-old patient.