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With 2,010 new cases, K’taka records highest spike of year
Bengaluru With 1,280 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases reported in 24 hours on Monday, Bengaluru’s active case count crossed the five-figure mark, adding to the growing speculation of a possible lockdown in the city
Bengaluru
With 1,280 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases reported in 24 hours on Monday, Bengaluru’s active case count crossed the five-figure mark, adding to the growing speculation of a possible lockdown in the city. The state reported 2010 new cases on Monday, breaching the 2,000-mark for the first time since the turn of the year.
On Monday, the total active Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru stood at 10,766, according to the daily bulletin of the state health department.
Bengaluru has been recording a sharp increase in cases since the beginning of March with most industries and sectors operating in full capacity. The city has also witnessed a rise in protests, rallies and other events with large gatherings without proper adherence to safety guidelines.
Karnataka is looking to leverage on the new guidelines for vaccination and its own ambition of doubling inoculation for over 3 lakh persons per day as a measure to contain the crisis.
The Union government on Tuesday modified its guidelines, making all persons above 45 eligible to get vaccine shot. Karnataka, however, will commence vaccinating people above 45 from April 1.
Allaying fears of any shortage, Karnataka’s health minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said the state was shortly expected to receive more vaccines.
“There is no shortage of vaccines in the state. We have discussed this with the Centre and they have assured that there will be no shortage of supply of vaccine,” Sudhakar said in a statement.
He said the state was expected to receive 12.5 lakh doses of the vaccine in the next one week. “Before that, additional 4 lakh doses will be dispatched through flight,” he said.
The state government has ruled out imposing any restrictions or relapse into a lockdown exactly a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government ordered the “Janata Curfew” on March 22 last year.
While Bengaluru accounted for the bulk of active cases in the state, Kalaburagi district — about 570 km from the India’s IT capital —reported 129 new cases taking its active case count to 545.
Mysuru reported 100 new cases while Dakshina Kannada, Tumakuru, Ballari, Bidar and Udupi reported 74, 40, 39, 76 and 28 new cases, respectively.
With the government finally acknowledging that the second wave of infections has begun in the state, it is now looking to increase vaccination and other measures to help it contain the spread.
