Bengaluru: Bengaluru's COVID-19 case fatality rate (1.1 percent) is the lowest among all major cities in the country, Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar K said on Wednesday.

"With 3,36,880 recoveries and 17,707 active cases as on Tuesday, city's recovery rate stands at a healthy 93.94 percent and active rate stands at 4.93 percent", he tweeted.

On Tuesday, Karnataka reported 1,336 new cases of COVID- 19 and 16 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 8,64,140 and the death toll to 11,557 in the State.

Union Health Ministry on Wednesday reported a single-day rise of 38,617 new COVID-19 cases and 474 fatalities pushing India's virus caseload to 89.12 lakh and toll to 1.30 lakh.

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Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.

Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.

Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.

However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.

"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.

Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.

On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.

"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.

Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.

"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.

Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.

Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.