<p>Bengaluru recorded a Covid-19 fatality after a long gap and the lion's share of infections that are increasing at twice the speed of recoveries. </p>.<p>A 72-year-old woman, who reported fever and cough and was subsequently diagnosed with having Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), is confirmed to have died of Covid-19, the health bulletin said on Sunday. </p>.<p>The woman was admitted to a private hospital on May 28 and she died the next day. </p>.<p>The tech hub continues to account for the majority of new Covid-19 cases in Karnataka. Of the 301 fresh cases reported on June 4, Bengaluru Urban alone saw 291 cases.</p>.<p>Worryingly, new cases are increasing at double the speed of recoveries. There were only 146 fresh discharges, including 142 in Bengaluru Urban. </p>.<p>This means the number of active cases (patients who are yet to recover) is rising steadily. The bulletin says as much. </p>.<p>Karnataka now has 2,414 active cases of Covid-19. Of them, 2,294 are in Bengaluru Urban alone. </p>.<p>The rising caseload had prompted the Union Health Ministry to write to Karnataka on June 3, asking the state to increase vigil and take pre-emptive action to control any emerging spread of the disease.</p>.<p>Bengaluru has 12 active Covid clusters, of which only one has more than five cases. </p>.<p>On a positive note, only 17 people living within BBMP limits are in hospital and only four are in ICU. </p>.<p>The positivity rate (the percentage of samples testing positive) for June 4 was 1.4%. The weekly positivity rate, however, is a tad lower at 1.33%. The weekly fatality rate is even lower at 0.11%. </p>.<p><strong>‘Backlog cases’</strong></p>.<p>Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, attributed the rise to a combination of “backlog cases” and a heightened vigil on ILI and SARI cases.</p>.<p>Citing data from last month, he said the average number of daily cases in the first 15 days was 120. For the last 10 days, this number is 170.</p>.<p>Occasionally, due to data backlog from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), this number gets pushed beyond 200, he said.</p>.<p>Speaking of ILI and SARI, he said the civic body began monitoring the two categories over a month ago, much before the ministry’s advisory came.</p>.<p>According to him, the BBMP has asked private hospitals in the city to test all outpatients showing ILI/SARI symptoms for Covid-19.</p>
<p>Bengaluru recorded a Covid-19 fatality after a long gap and the lion's share of infections that are increasing at twice the speed of recoveries. </p>.<p>A 72-year-old woman, who reported fever and cough and was subsequently diagnosed with having Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), is confirmed to have died of Covid-19, the health bulletin said on Sunday. </p>.<p>The woman was admitted to a private hospital on May 28 and she died the next day. </p>.<p>The tech hub continues to account for the majority of new Covid-19 cases in Karnataka. Of the 301 fresh cases reported on June 4, Bengaluru Urban alone saw 291 cases.</p>.<p>Worryingly, new cases are increasing at double the speed of recoveries. There were only 146 fresh discharges, including 142 in Bengaluru Urban. </p>.<p>This means the number of active cases (patients who are yet to recover) is rising steadily. The bulletin says as much. </p>.<p>Karnataka now has 2,414 active cases of Covid-19. Of them, 2,294 are in Bengaluru Urban alone. </p>.<p>The rising caseload had prompted the Union Health Ministry to write to Karnataka on June 3, asking the state to increase vigil and take pre-emptive action to control any emerging spread of the disease.</p>.<p>Bengaluru has 12 active Covid clusters, of which only one has more than five cases. </p>.<p>On a positive note, only 17 people living within BBMP limits are in hospital and only four are in ICU. </p>.<p>The positivity rate (the percentage of samples testing positive) for June 4 was 1.4%. The weekly positivity rate, however, is a tad lower at 1.33%. The weekly fatality rate is even lower at 0.11%. </p>.<p><strong>‘Backlog cases’</strong></p>.<p>Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, attributed the rise to a combination of “backlog cases” and a heightened vigil on ILI and SARI cases.</p>.<p>Citing data from last month, he said the average number of daily cases in the first 15 days was 120. For the last 10 days, this number is 170.</p>.<p>Occasionally, due to data backlog from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), this number gets pushed beyond 200, he said.</p>.<p>Speaking of ILI and SARI, he said the civic body began monitoring the two categories over a month ago, much before the ministry’s advisory came.</p>.<p>According to him, the BBMP has asked private hospitals in the city to test all outpatients showing ILI/SARI symptoms for Covid-19.</p>