Karnataka COVID-19: Bengaluru reports alarming 17,550 new cases; CM BSY seeks cooperation

As the 14-day state-wide lockdown began in Karnataka, Bengaluru reported 17,550 new COVID cases and 97 deaths on Tuesday, comprising of 50% of the total cases recorded in the state over 24 hours. The capital of the southern state has been witnessing a consistent rise in the number of COVID cases reported on a daily basis and has 2,06,223 active cases as on Wednesday morning. As per sources, reports suggested that Bengaluru could witness a steeper spike in the number of cases reported on Wednesday even as the city has already reported 6,87,751 infections and 6,002 deaths so far from the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020. To put things into perspective, Delhi reported 24,149 cases in the same period, indicating the severity of the spike.

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa appealed to the people of Karnataka to remain indoors as the 14-day lockdown commenced in order to break the COVID chain.  As per the state's guidelines, all industries except construction, manufacturing & agriculture sectors have been shut, with shops selling essential goods allowed to be open between 6-10 AM. According to the health bulletin, Karnataka's cumulative COVID cases now stood at 14,00,775, while there are 3,01,899 active cases including 2,063 in ICUs.

Karnataka's COVID battle

Karnataka's COVID-19 tally surpassed the 14 lakh mark while the active cases in the state crossed the three lakh figure with 31,830 fresh infections being reported on Tuesday, the Health department said. As many as 180 deaths took the toll to 14,807, it said. Mysuru emerged as the second major COVID hotspot with 2,042 infections and nine deaths. The department said 1,196 infections were reported in Tumakuru, 907 in Ballari, 772 in Kalaburagi, 737 in Mandya, 736 in Raichur, 599 in Bengaluru Rural, 548 in Kolar, 544 in Chikkaballapura, 531 in Vijayapura and 503 in Hassan. Cases were also reported in Yadgir, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Koppal, Gadag, Davangere, Dharwad, Bidar, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga and Dakshina Kannada.

Other than Bengaluru and Mysuru, 18 fatalities have been reported in Ballari, seven in Kalaburagi, six in Ramanagara, five each in Bidar, Dharwad and Hassan, four in Vijayapura, three each in Tumakuru, Haveri, Dakshina Kannada and Bengaluru Rural, two each in Chamarajanagar, Kolar, and Shivamogga. There were 1,70,117 tests done on Tuesday including 1,51,631 using the RT-PCR and other methods taking the total tests done so far to 2.51 crore, the department added. Over 90 lakh people have been inoculated so far, it said.