Delhi, Mumbai, and West Bengal, three Covid-19 hotspots in the latest wave of Covid infection saw marginal dips in new cases on Friday.
However, Southern India saw a huge spike in Covid-19 cases with Karnataka leading the way, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Overall, fresh Covid-19 cases in India rose by 7 per cent to nearly 2.64 lakh in the last 24 hours, a day after a record rise of more than 50,000 had pushed the day’s tally to 2.47 lakh. Deaths from the virus remained relatively low but were rising.
Among the poll-bound States, Uttar Pradesh is seeing big jump in the number of fresh cases by the day.
Karnataka on Friday reported 28,723 new Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths. Capital Bengaluru alone accounted for 20,121 new cases and seven deaths. The positivity rate is now at 12.98 per cent in the State. On Thursday the State had recorded 25,005 new cases of Covid-19 and 8 fatalities.
State Health Minister K Sudhakar said the number of hospitalisations in the third wave so far is less than that recorded during the second wave last year.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has sought Central assistance to raise the number of oxygenated beds and oxygen plants in the State. The total number of active cases across the State is now 1,15,733.
Doctors in the two States described the status of pandemics in the two southern States as black Pongal for Tamil Nadu and a black Friday for Kerala.
