Karnataka reported its highest single day spike in Covid-19 cases with 6,259 new infections yesterday, taking the total to 1,45,830. The previous highest was on July 30 with 6,128 cases.

The State also reported a record 6777 covid patients who were cured and recovered from various hospitals in the State yesterday, among them 4274 were discharged from Bengaluru city. The total number of discharged patients have gone up to 69,272. 110 covid deaths were recorded yesterday taking the toll to 2,704.

According to the State Health Department 42,458 swab samples were tested in the State yesterday of which 6,259 new Covid 19- positive cases were reported across the State. So far 14,89,016 samples were tested in the State.

Our correspondent reports, among the new cases 2,035 reported from Bengaluru , 662 from Mysuru, 285 from Kaluburugi, 284 from Bellary, 263 from Belagavi and 225 from Dakshina Kannada. 73,846 active cases are taking treatment in various hospitals in the State among them 634 in Intensive Care Unit. The State recovery rate has been reported as 47.51 percent and the mortality rate is 1.85 percent.

Additionally, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar warned of disciplinary action against officials who are found negligent in their duties. He was responding to an incident in which officials had delayed in handing over a dead body of a patient in K C General Hospital in Bengaluru.

The Minister instructed the officials to intervene immediately and resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, nationally COVID-19 recovered cases are now double of active cases in the country. Currently, the recovered cases are over 12.30 lakh.

With this, the recovery rate has gone up to an impressive 66.30 per cent.

The fatality rate is also the lowest at 2.10 percent since the first lockdown.

Briefing media in New Delhi yesterday, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, the fatality rate has seen a progressive decline and it is continuing.

He said, over two crore COVID tests have been conducted so far. In the last 24 hours, over 6.6 lakh tests have been conducted.

He added that many states have increased their testing capacity, both RT - PCR and Rapid Antigen tests and 24 States and UTs have more tests per million than the national average.

The Secretary also said around 50 per cent of deaths due to COVID-19 in India have taken place in the age group of 60 years and above.

About 37 percent deaths have taken place in the age group of 45 to 60 years.

Mr. Bhushan informed that about 68 per cent of COVID-19 deaths have been reported among male patients and 32 per cent among female patients in India.

The Secretary said, 28 states and UTs have a COVID-19 positivity rate of less than 10 per cent, while India's positivity rate as on date is 8.89 per cent.

Replying to a question, he said, the coronavirus infection has spread to new areas in the country, but 82 per cent of the total cases are still limited to ten states and Union Territories.

He added that 50 districts accounted for 66 per cent of the COVID-19 caseload in the country.

Director General, ICMR , Dr Balram Bhargava informed that the Oxford vaccine, being manufactured by Serum Institute of India, has got approval for phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. He said, it is starting within a week at 17 sites.