Karnataka Covid-19 wrap: State records 248 cases in 24 hrs; gram panchayat polls postponed

The total number of cases in the state has now reached 2,781, out of which 1,837 are active. The state has recorded 48 deaths and 894 people have been recovered and discharged. 

Karnataka on Friday recorded as many as 248 cases of Covid-19, the biggest single-day spike, with most of them involving people who returned from Maharashtra. One death was also reported.

The total number of cases in the state has now reached 2,781, out of which 1,837 are active. The state has recorded 48 deaths and 894 people have been recovered and discharged.

According to the state health department, out of 248 cases reported today, as many as 208 cases involved returnees from Maharashtra. The 248 cases include eight each travelled to state from Delhi and Rajasthan, one each from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, and one person is with international travel history from Ireland.

As per the bulletin, a 50-year-old woman from Chikkaballapura, who met with a road accident was admitted to a private hospital on May 24. Later, due to an acute kidney injury and pneumonia, she was shifted to a designated hospital in Bengaluru where she was tested positive for Covid-19 and later succumbed to the virus.

Raichur reported 62 cases, Kalaburagi 61, Yadgir 60, Udupi 15, Bengaluru urban 12, Ballari nine, Chikkaballapura five cases, four each from Davangere, Hassan and Vijayapura, two each from Mandya, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Chikkamagaluru, and one each from Dharwad, Chitradurga, Shivamogga and Bengaluru rural.

Gram panchayat polls postponed

The Karnataka State Election Commission Friday announced the postponement of gram panchayat polls due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The tenure of 5,800 of 6,025-gram panchayats will end by June-August this year in Karnataka. Earlier Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa had also said that the government has decided to postpone the election and form administrative councils at every gram panchayat.

“After examining the feasibility of conducting general elections to gram panchayats, the State Election Commission, considering the current situation as an exceptional circumstance, has decided to temporarily postpone the general elections to the gram panchayats,” the State election commission said in a press release.

“Report by Deputy Commissioners of districts on holding the elections was verified and it has been found that district administrations are involved in COVID-19 related work and there will be a shortage of staff and transport facilities for the elections. Besides, there would be a problem in maintaining law and order,” the release added.