E-Paper
Karnataka reports deaths in all 30 districts as Covid-19 surge moves to rural areas
Karnataka registered 41,779 new infections that take its active caseload to 5,98,605, one of the highest in India. The positivity rate stood at 32.86%, according to the bulletin.
All 30 districts of Karnataka reported at least one Covid-19 fatality in 24 hours on Thursday; data shows, indicating the severity of the second wave of infections in the southern state.
Out of the 373 fatalities, 121 were in Bengaluru, according to the daily bulletin of the state health department.
The mineral-rich district of Ballari, about 320 km from Bengaluru, reported 26 fatalities while there were 21 in Kalaburagi, 20 in Hassan, 19 in Tumakuru, 15 in Uttara Kannada, 13 each in Ramanagara and Mandya, 12 each in Mysuru and Bengaluru Rural, according to data. The fatality rate was at 0.89%.
The rise in deaths come at a time when the Covid- 19 infection appears to be moving towards the rural areas of Karnataka, sparking fears of a collapse of the healthcare system which is far more inadequate than in Bengaluru.
Karnataka registered 41,779 new infections that take its active caseload to 5,98,605, one of the highest in India. The positivity rate stood at 32.86%, according to the bulletin.
Bengaluru recorded 14,316 new infections that take its active caseload to 360,862.
The BS Yediyurappa-led government has been unable to cope with the rising demand for hospital beds, oxygen, life-saving medicines and even space in crematoriums.
The state has also suspended its vaccination drive for people between 18-44 years of age due to acute shortage of vaccines. However, the state received a short supply of Covaxin on Friday.
“Karnataka received 75,000 doses of Covaxin from Union Govt today. So far state has received 1,10,49,470 doses from GoI incl 99,58,190 doses of Covishield and 10,91,280 doses of Covaxin. I thank PM@narendramodi ji and @drharshvardhan ji for their continued support to Karnataka,” K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education said in a post on Twitter.
The supply is unlikely to last for very long even at the slow pace of vaccinations in Karnataka.
There were 56,350 vaccinations done till 3.30 pm on Friday that takes the total to 11051982, according to the health bulletin. However, only 23,96,806 people have received both doses, data shows.
The state government said that the second dose for Covishield has been extended to a gap of 12-16 weeks after the first dose.
“Government of India has informed that based on the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group of Immunization (NTAGI) and National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC) the second dose of Covishield vaccine should be administered to eligible beneficiaries at 12 to 16 weeks interval after receiving the first dose,” the state government said in a statement.
“Citizens are requested not to come to vaccination centres if they have not completed 12 weeks after the first dose of the Covishield vaccine,” the statement read.
The same is not applicable to Covaxin, the government said.
