Covid-19: Karnataka records 1,275 new infections, highest single-day spike in 2021

Bengaluru Urban recorded 786 total cases on Wednesday, continuing with its trend of reporting the highest number of cases in the state

Karnataka on Wednesday reported 1,275 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the state's tally to 9,63,614. This is the highest one-day rise in the cases in the state so far in 2021. With four fatalities reported in the last 24 hours, the current death toll stands at 12,407, according to the state’s department of health and family welfare.

The state health department has also decided to step up their testing and tracking measures by conducting 1,00,000 tests daily. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI)

Bengaluru Urban recorded 786 total cases on Wednesday, continuing with its trend of reporting the highest number of cases in the state. Dakshina Kannada trailed right behind with 72 new cases, followed by Kalaburagi, which reported 61 new cases. Bengaluru Urban also accounted for three out of four fatalities reported today, pushing the district’s death toll to 4530.

These three districts reported the highest number of cases on Tuesday too. Karnataka chief minister was advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on the districts of Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, and Belagavi at today’s meeting between the Prime Minister and all state chief ministers on the Covid-19 situation all over the country.

Karnataka also witnessed 479 recoveries on Wednesday, with Bengaluru urban’s 271 discharges leading the count. The total recoveries in the state till date has breached the 9 lakh mark.

On Tuesday, Karnataka had reported 1,135 Covid-19 cases, and 6 fatalities, a 30% increase from the day before. While the daily tally of cases has gone up by 140 cases in the span of 24 hours, the fatality has come down by 2.

The Karnataka state government has made RT-PCR tests mandatory for arrivals from the states of Kerala and Maharashtra. Chief minister BS Yedyiruppa told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday that the possibility of lockdowns and night curfews have been ruled out and the state will concentrate on accelerating the rate of vaccination, and keep on encouraging people to abide by Covid-19 preventative behaviour to help curb the increasing number of cases in the state.

The state health department has also decided to step up their testing and tracking measures by conducting 1,00,000 tests daily, in order to prevent a second wave of Covid-19, reported news agency ANI. Currently, Karnataka is conducting 60,000 and 75,000 tests every day.