Karnataka Covid cases drop to 20K; Congress offers to hold mass vaccination drive in state

New Covid cases declined to 20,378 in a day across Karnataka, and 382 succumbing to the infection, said the state health bulletin on Sunday. As epi-centre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru reported 4,734 fresh cases on Saturday, taking its Covid tally to 11,59,237, including 1,62,625 active cases, while 9,83,507 recovered, with 6,078 discharged in the last 24 hours.

"With 20,378 new cases registered on Saturday, the state's Covid tally rose to 25,87,827, including 3,42,010 active cases, while recoveries increased to 22,17,117, with 28,053 discharged during the day, said the bulletin.

Positive cases were 20,628 and recoveries 42,444 across the state on Friday, while Bengaluru reported 4,889 cases and 21,126 recoveries. The infection claimed 382 lives, including 213 in Bengaluru, taking the state's death toll to 28,679 and the city's toll to 13,104 since the pandemic broke out in mid-March a year ago. Deaths were 492 across the state and 278 in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Among districts where over 1,000 new cases were reported on Saturday are 2,227 in Hassan, 1,559 in Mysuru and 1,171 in Belagavi, with the rest spread in the remaining 27 districts across the state. Out of 1,38,809 tests conducted across the state during the day, 32,210 were through rapid antigen detection and 1,06,599 through RT-PCR method.

Meanwhile, 51,679 people, including 19,618 above 45 years of age and 29,425 in 18-44 years age group were vaccinated across the state during the day. Cumulatively, 1,33,96,169 beneficiaries, including senior citizens above 60 years of age, healthcare workers and frontline warriors received the jab since the vaccination drive was launched on January 16.

Let us hold mass vaccination drive: Congress to Karnataka Govt

Stressing that inoculation was the only way to protect people from Covid, Congress' Karnataka President on Sunday sought the state government's permission to allow his party to take up a mass vaccination drive.

"We have asked the state government to permit our party to procure anti-Covid vaccines worth Rs 100 crore for undertaking mass vaccination across the state to protect the people," Shivakumar told reporters at Hubballi.

The Congress plans to mobilise Rs 100 crore from its lawmakers, members and cadres for buying vaccines directly from pharma companies and organising free camps to vaccinate as many people as it can. "I have directed our MLAs and MPs to contribute from their local area development scheme funds, as the party's state unit is ready to give Rs 10 crore for procuring vaccines," Shivakumar said.

Accusing the state's BJP government for failing to procure enough vaccines to inoculate more citizens, he said the caseload would have been reduced during the pandemic's second wave if more vaccines had been mobilised by the state much earlier on its own, instead of depending on the Centre.

As part of the party's contribution to contain the virus spread, Shivakumar flagged off 14 ambulances equipped with oxygen concentrators to rush Covid patients to hospitals in northwest Karnataka. "We have also donated about 10,000 kits for treating Covid patients under home quarantine in Hubballi-Dharwad district, which has witnessed a spurt in positive cases," he said.

He urged the people to get vaccinated at the earliest to develop immunity against coronavirus, adding that that vaccination has reduced Covid cases and deaths in many countries like Israel, the UK and the US.