The number of COVID-19 cases shot past the 900-mark in Karnataka on Saturday, including one with the South African strain, taking the number of cases to just above 9.59 lakh, while one fatality took the toll to 12,387, the health department said. Recoveries outnumbered new cases, with 992 people being discharged from hospitals, as against 921 infections.
Karnataka has been witnessing a rapid rise in cases since March 8, when it logged 436 cases. The state recorded 590 the following day and the figure shot up to 833 on March 12.
Bengaluru Urban continued to head the list of cases, accounting for 630 infections, but for the first time in many months, reported zero fatalities.
Cumulatively, 9,59,338 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 12,387 deaths and 9,38,890 discharges, the health department said in a bulletin.
Of the 8,042 active cases, 123 are in Intensive Care Units of various hospitals, it said.
Mysuru was second in the number of cases with 47, Dakshina Kannada reported 43, Tumakuru 38, Kalaburagi 35, Bidar 15, Bengaluru Rural and Udupi reported 13 each and Hassan 11.
Four districts — Chamarajanagar, Haveri, Koppal and Ramanagara — reported zero cases and fatalities. The lone fatality in the state on Saturday was reported from Mysuru.
A total of 1.97 crore samples have been tested so far, out of which 72,650 were on Saturday alone, the bulletin said. With one more person testing positive for the South African strain of the virus, the number of cases of the SA variant has gone up to three.
Twenty-nine people have so far been detected with the UK strain of the virus.
A total of 9,344 people were vaccinated on Saturday, the bulletin said, adding no instance of AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunisation) was reported.