Karnataka has reported over 23,000 cases so far, including 372 deaths (File)
Bengaluru has seen a 15.7 per cent increase in COVID-19 cases over the past three days, data showed on Monday. The city recorded 1,235 new cases on Sunday - its biggest single-day jump and the fourth consecutive 24-hour period with record spikes. Data this evening showed 981 fresh cases.
The three-day increase in COVID-19 infections is significantly more than seen in either Delhi (2.6 per cent), Chennai (2.9 per cent) or Mumbai (1 per cent) - the three worst-affected metro cities.
More worryingly, the Karnataka state capital also has the lowest recovery rate - 14.7 per cent compared to Delhi's 71.7 per cent, Chennai's 62 per cent and Mumbai's 66.1 per cent.
The mortality rate in the city, however, is around 1.55 per cent, which compares well to the national average of 2.82 per cent. It is also considerably lower than Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai.
Bengaluru has 8,167 active cases so far, with 155 deaths linked to the highly infectious virus; around a third of those (50 deaths) have been reported since July 3.
The explosion of cases in the city has led to the BS Yediyurappa government ordering a "full lockdown", barring essential services, across the state starting July 5 - but on Sundays.
The explosion has also led the Chief Minister appealing to people not to panic and flee the city.
"I would like to tell the people of Bengaluru that we have made preparations. We have already organised 450 more ambulances. Hospital beds are being arranged. A COVID care centre with over 10,000 beds is ready," Mr Yediyurappa said.
He also echoed statements repeatedly made by his Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal, saying: "We have to live with this virus. Cooperate with the government and we can control it".
The Karnataka government has reserved 3,331 hospital beds across 72 privately-run institutions in the city, of which 733 have already been occupied, news agency PTI reported.
The need for hospital beds aside, one of the fallouts of the rise in cases in Bengaluru is increased waiting time for ambulances.
NDTV spoke to a woman in her 50s who was told she had tested positive but had to wait eight hours for an ambulance; she was forced to wait outside her home or risk exposing her husband and child, who were inside.
Karnataka has reported over 23,000 coronavirus cases so far, including more than 13,000 active cases and 372 deaths.
The country, as a whole, is also seeing a worrying spike in cases; India crossed the seven-lakh cases mark late Monday evening, after having crossed the six lakh-mark just days earlier.
The ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) is looking to fast-track India's first COVID-19 vaccine candidate, with Phase I, II trials set to start next week. One of 12 institutes chosen for these trials is the Jeevan Rekha Hospital in Karnataka's Belagavi district.
With input from PTI