Biggest single-day spike of new Covid-19 cases in Karnataka; Mandya new hotspot
Bengaluru (Live Mint): The sugarcane growing region of Mandya, about a 100 kms from Bengaluru, accounted for 71 out of the total 149 Covid-19 positive cases reported in Karnataka on Tuesday. This is the highest single-day jump in new cases.
“All 71 positive cases in Mandya have returned from Mumbai,” S.Suresh Kumar, Karnataka’s primary and secondary education minister said on Tuesday. There are 811 active cases in the state and total number of cases reached 1,395.
Mumbai is one of the worst Covid-19-hit regions in the country and many of those who returned to Karnataka from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, among other places, in recent days have tested positive, Kumar said.
“113 patients of those (149) who tested positive have inter-state travel history,” Kumar said.
This is the first time that Karnataka has breached the century mark in cases in 24 hours ever since the outbreak.
The B.S.Yediyurappa-led state government has restricted entry of people from these three states fearing a rise in cases.
The disease claimed three more lives in Karnataka that takes the total number of casualties to 40. A 61-year old male from Ballari, a 65-year old male from Vijapura and 54-year male from Bengaluru lost their lives due to covid-19, according to the state health department.
The sharp spike in positive numbers has added to fears of a rise in cases in the state that has further eased lockdown restrictions and allowed more businesses and services to resume to revive the state’s economy.
Mandya now has the highest number of active Covid-19 cases in the state with 139 as against Bengaluru that has 114 and Davangere that has 106.
Kumar said that 1,527 people have arrived in Karnataka on six trains so far. But there is no clarity on how many more arrived via private vehicles and other modes. Kumar said that anyone entering the state is being sent directly to institutional quarantine centres.
Davangere accounted for 22 cases while 13 cases were reported in Kalaburagi and 10 in Shivamogga.
Chikmagaluru, which was so far virus-free, reported five cases that leaves just two districts in the state–Ramanagaram and Chamrajanagara—that has remained free of the virus. All six Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru Rural have also recovered.
Covid-19 positive cases were recorded in Bengaluru, Bagalkote, Bidar, Vijayapura, Uttara Kannada, Hassan, Udupi, Yadgiri, Chitradurga, Gadag and Raichur.