Covid 3rd wave reaches South: Kerala reports 46,387 cases; Karnataka over 47,000

Kerala reported the highest single-day rise of Covid cases, since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, on Thursday. Bengaluru reported over 30,000 fresh Covid cases in last 24 hours.

The third wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic which is believed to have crossed its peak in Delhi and Mumbai has hit hard Karnataka and Kerala as both the southern states reported a record surge in the last 24 hours. India on Thursday reported over 3 lakh cases, the highest in the ongoing third wave of the pandemic. The impact of the Omicron-driven third wave was felt first in Delhi and Mumbai, but now the wave has shifted the south with Kerala reporting 46,387 fresh cases on Thursday which is the highest-ever single-day spike.

A health worker collects a swab sample of a commuter for the Covid-19 test at K R Market in Bengaluru on Thursday. (PTI)

Given the fact that Kerala was one of the worst-affected states in the pandemic, the tally of the last 24 hours is significant. During the second wave, Kerala reported 43,529 Covid cases in a day, the highest before Thursday. The rate of hospitalisation remains low. For the two coming Sundays, there will be complete lockdown in Kerala, the government has announced. 

Kerala health minister Veena George said on Wednesday that the state has already started witnessing the third wave of the pandemic. The minister said both Delta and Omicron are contributing to the surge in the state. If the range of spread was 2.68 per cent during the second wave, it was 3.12 per cent these days and the next three weeks would be crucial for the state, the minister said.

Karnataka too witnessed a massive spike on Thursday recording 47,754 fresh cases. Out of these cases, 30,540 are from Bengaluru, the state bulletin said.

The third wave of the pandemic has been different from the first and the second waves in India. Experts said previous waves moved from west to east, but this wave moved from metro cities to other districts.  The peaks of the wave have been projected to come around different dates between the 2nd and the 4th week of January. 

Last week, Kerala health ministry warned that the peak of the third wave will come in another week as the Omicron spread started a little late in the state.