Amid the pandemic's rising second wave, a record 19,067 new Covid cases were registered across Karnataka in a day, including 12,793 in Bengaluru, while 81 patients succumbed to the infection, said the state health department's bulletin on Sunday.
"With 19,067 cases testing positive on Saturday, the state's Covid tally shot up to 11,61,065, including 1,33,543 active cases, while 10,14,152 recovered so far, with 4,603 discharged in the last 24 hours," said the daily bulletin.
Of 81 Covid deaths across the state during the day, 60 were from Bengaluru, taking the state's toll to 13,351 and the city's toll to 5,123.
Bengaluru reported 12,793 fresh cases on Saturday taking the city's Covid tally to 5,46,635, including 97,897 active cases, while recoveries rose to 4,43,614, with 2,560 discharged during the day.
Among the districts across the state, 777 new cases were registered in Mysuru, 671 in Kalaburagi, 494 in Tumakur, 469 in Bidar, 348 in Hassan, 338 in Mandya, 272 in Dakshina Kannada, 265 in Dharwad, 245 in Bengaluru Rural and 238 in Ballari.
Of 620 Covid patients in the intensive care units (ICUs), 134 are in Bengaluru hospitals, 109 in Kalaburagi, 44 in Kolar, 42 in Tumakur, 40 in Mysuru.
Out of 1,45,645 tests conducted across the state, 13,589 were through rapid antigen detection and 1,32,056 through RT-PCR method.
Positivity rate shot up to 13.09 per cent while case fatality rate was 0.42 per cent across the state on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 22,065 people, including 8,693 senior citizens above 60 years of age and 12,549 in the 45-59 years age group received the vaccine across the state in the day.
"Cumulatively, 69,87,874 people were given the jab since the vaccine drive was launched on January 16 across the southern state," added the bulletin.
Governor tells Govt: Bring Covid situation under control
Alarmed by the rapid surge in new cases, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Sunday directed the state government to bring the Covid situation under control soon.
"Take all necessary steps to bring the Covid situation under control at the earliest," he told top officials at an emergency meeting he convened at the Raj Bhavan.
As Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is under treatment for Covid at a private hospital in the city, Vala called Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, E.V. Ramana Reddy, and state Health Secretary Jawaid Akhtar for the meeting.
"The Governor advised the officials to ensure enough oxygen supply, drugs and beds for Covid patients in hospitals across the state," a Raj Bhavan communique said.
Vala's intervention came on a day when a record 19,067 new cases were reported from across the state, with Bengaluru accounting for 12,793 of them.
The new cases took the state's Covid tally to 11,61,065, including 1,33,543 active cases and the city's tally to 5,46,635, including 97,897 active cases.
The infection also claimed 81 lives in the last 24 hours, with 60 in Bengaluru, taking the state's death toll to 13,351 and the city's toll to 5,063.
Of 620 Covid patients in ICUs, 134 are in Bengaluru hospitals, 109 in Kalaburagi, 44 in Kolar, 42 in Tumakur, and 40 in Mysuru.
In a related development, state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka called for a meeting of Bengaluru's MPs, legislators and ministers on Monday to take stock of the Covid situation in the city.
"The meeting will be held at the state Secretariat and the Chief Minister is likely to attend it through virtual mode from the hospital," he told reporters here.
As the all-party meeting, which was to be held on Sunday, had been postponed after Yediyurappa tested positive on April 16, he directed Ashoka to hold the special meeting along with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Health Minister K. Sudhakar and the lawmakers from the city.
"The meeting will deliberate on additional measures to be taken to contain the virus spread in the city, which accounts for 75 per cent of the active cases in the state," said Ashoka.
The state government has imposed 'Corona curfew' in 8 districts, including Bengaluru between 10 p.m.-5 a.m. from April 10-20 to check surging cases due to the second wave.
BBMP drive
Meanwhile, the state government directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to raid private hospitals in the city which have not reserved 50 per cent of their beds for treating Covid patients, as directed.
"Many private hospitals, including those run by corporates, have set aside only 10-15 per cent of their beds for Covid patients despite assurances that they would reserve 50 per cent of them," Ashoka said.
The action came following complaints on social media and news channels by affected people.
Admitting that the response of private hospitals on reserving half their beds for Covid patients had not been satisfactory, Sudhakar said legal action would be taken against those not complying with the government order.
He also denied shortage of oxygen in ICUs in either state-run or private hospitals, saying the Centre had agreed to rush 300 tonnes, in addition to 800 tonnes produced in the state.
