Karnataka reports two Covid-19 deaths, to ramp up testing to 5,000 per day

Karnataka logged 20 fresh cases on Wednesday, with a positivity rate of 2.47 per cent.

Published on: Dec 21, 2023, 10:06:58 IST

By Yamini C S

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Karnataka reported two Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours amid a surge in infections after the emergence of a new subvariant of the virus, called JN.1. Both of the deceased were male, aged 44 and 76, according to news agency PTI. One of them had shown no symptoms, while the other was suffering from difficulty in breathing, the agency said.

COVID-19: There were 92 active cases in Karnataka, most of which were mild. (HT PHOTO)

A 64-year-old man from Chamarajpet, Bengaluru, also passed away a few days ago after being infected by the Sars CoV-2 virus, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told media on Wednesday. He added that it is not yet known if he died from the new subvariant. The deceased had been suffering from several comorbidities, including TB infection, hypertension, lung disease, bronchial asthma, pneumonia and heart failure, the Minister said.

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Karnataka logged 20 fresh cases, having conducted a total of 808 tests on Wednesday, out of which 407 were RTPCR tests and 401 were Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT). The state had a positivity rate of 2.47 per cent.

There were 92 active cases in the state, most of which were mild. While 72 patients were isolated in their homes, 20 were hospitalised, out of which 13 were in general wards and seven were receiving treatment in the ICU. Five patients recovered on Wednesday and were discharged, the state health department's bulletin noted.

ALSO READ | 64-year-old man dies of Covid in Bengaluru; CM to hold meeting

Karnataka's total Covid tally was at 40.89 lakhs, with the case fatality rate standing at 10 per cent. The state's health department recently advised the elderly (those above the age of 60), those with comorbidities (especially kidney, heart, and liver ailments), pregnant women, and lactating mothers to wear face masks out in public.

The state government also decided to ramp up testing amid the spike in infections, and said officials would increase the number to tests to 5,000 per day in the next three days.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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