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Karnataka, Bengaluru log highest-ever Covid-19 spike, positivity rate hovers near 10%
The BS Yediyurappa-led state government has ruled out a lockdown in Karnataka but is firm on increasing restrictions “after the elections”, referring to the bypolls in Basavakalyan, Maski and Belagavi.
Karnataka and its capital city, Bengaluru, recorded the highest ever single-day spike of Covid-19 cases, breaching their respective peaks logged over the last one year of the pandemic and raising concerns of a rapidly deteriorating health crisis in the southern state.
Karnataka recorded its highest ever single-day total of 11,625 infections in the last 24 hours on Tuesday, surpassing its previous high of 10,913 cases recorded on October 9 last year, which was considered the peak of the pandemic in the state.
The rise in Karnataka’s viral caseload occurred rapidly on account of the situation in Bengaluru, which also reported its highest ever single-day spike of 8,155 new infections and 23 fatalities.
The total number of active cases in Karnataka stands at 85,840 and 63,167 in Bengaluru, according to the daily health bulletin.
The fact that the Covid-19 positivity rate inched closer to 10% across the state, was a serious cause for concern, according to the daily bulletin of the health department.
The BS Yediyurappa-led state government has ruled out a lockdown in Karnataka but is firm on increasing restrictions “after the elections”, referring to the bypolls in Basavakalyan, Maski and Belagavi.
Though CM Yediyurappa has imposed night restrictions in at least seven districts including Bengaluru and has cracked down on individual offenders for not wearing masks or maintaining social distance, the Karnataka government has given a free hand to political parties for election campaigning to carry on unhindered.
Hundreds and thousands of people were seen in election campaigns in the three constituencies which, incidentally, have seen a spike after the bypolls were announced on March 17.
Basavakalyan in Bidar district reported 290 new infections that took its active case count to 2144. Belagavi reported 107 new infections that took the active case count in the border district to 661. Raichuru, under which Maski constituency falls, reported 65 new infections that took its active case count to 491.
