With the pandemic's second wave unabated, 39,998 new Covid cases were registered in a day across Karnataka, including 16,286 in Bengaluru, while 517 patients succumbed to coronavirus, said the state health bulletin on Wednesday.
"With 39,998 new cases registered on Tuesday, the state's Covid tally shot up to 20,53,191, including 5,92,182 active cases, while recoveries rose to 14,40,621, with 34,752 discharged during the day," said the bulletin.
As epicentre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru reported 16,286 fresh cases in a day, taking its Covid tally to 9,99,805, including 3,60,619 active cases, while recoveries increased to 6,30,221, with 18,089 patients discharged in the last 24 hours.
The infection claimed 517 lives, including 275 in Bengaluru, taking the state's death toll to 20,368 and the city's toll to 8,964 since the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago.
Among districts which reported over 1,000 new cases are 2,360 in Tumakur, 1,823 in Ballari, 1,773 in Mysuru, 1,572 in Hassan, 1,138 in Bengaluru Rural, 1,125 in Shivamogga and 1,077 in Dakshina Kannada, with the rest in the remaining 23 districts across the state.
Out of 1,34,792 tests conducted during the day across the state, 10,560 were through rapid antigen detection and 1,24,232 through RT-PCR method. Positivity rate was 29.67 per cent and case fatality rate 1.29 per cent across the state on Tuesday.
Vax Drive suspended
Meanwhile, 88,437 people, including 57,682 above 45 years of age and 22,506 in the 18-44 years ago group were vaccinated across the state during the day. "Cumulatively, 1,08,82,080 beneficiaries, including healthcare workers and frontline warriors received the jab since the nationwide vaccination drive was launched on January 16 across the southern state," added the bulletin.
However, starting from Thursday, owing to the short supply of Covid vaccines, Karnataka has decided to 'temporarily suspend' vaccination drive for those aged between 18 to 44 years.
In a series of tweets, the Karnataka Health department said that the state government has decided that the vaccine procured directly by the state government for vaccination of persons between 18 to 44 years too will be utilised for vaccination of beneficiaries who are due for the second dose.
"Therefore, all vaccines available with the state government i.e. supplied by union government and procured directly by state will be utilized for vaccination of beneficiaries due for second dose," the Karnataka health department tweet explained.
The Health department added that vaccination drives for the 18 to 44 age group including those who have already booked appointments will be temporarily suspended from May 14 till further orders.
According to the health department, the state government on May 7 had decided to utilise the complete supply of vaccines provided by the union government for vaccination of persons above 45 years, for vaccinating beneficiaries who were due for second dose.
"But under the changed circumstances and severe shortage of vaccine, the vaccine procured directly by the state government for vaccination of persons between 18 to 44 years too will be utilised for vaccination of beneficiaries who are due for second dose," a senior health department official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.
Karnataka symbolically launched anti-Covid vaccination drive on May 1 but ever since it has failed to take off due to short supply of vaccines. Karnataka Health minister, K. Sudhkar was first to state on April 30 that it was better to put off the launch of the drive on May 1 as the state had not received required stock and this was even endorsed by Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa on that day. But, Yediyurappa the next day launched the vaccination drive symbolically on May 1.
