Bengaluru, May 5: Karnataka on Wednesday reported the single largest day spike in both COVID-19 cases and fatalities since the start of the pandemic, with 50,112 infections and 346 deaths.

This took the total caseload to nearly 17.5 lakh and the fatalities to 16,884.

The previous highest numbers were on May 1 when the state logged 48,296 cases and 292 deaths, the health department said.

Bengaluru Urban alone accounted for 23,106 infections and 161 fatalities.

The day also saw 26,841 people getting discharged.

Cumulatively, 17,41,046 positive cases have been confirmed in Karnataka, which includes 16,884 deaths and 12,36,854 discharges, the bulletin said.

Active cases stood at 4,87,288.

Tumakuru and Mysuru were the second major COVID hotspots in Karnataka with 2,790 and 2,335 infections and 10 and 12 fatalities on Wednesday.

Udupi was next with 1,655 cases, Mandya 1,621, Hassan 1,604 , Dakshina Kannada 1,529, Bengaluru Rural 1,033, in Dharwad 1,030 and 1,009 in Chikkamagaluru.

Ten districts reported cases in excess of 500 each.

Among the 346 deaths, Ballari and Mandya accounted for 19 each, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga and Kalaburagi had 15 each, Hassan 11 and eight each in Bidar and Dharwad.

Barring Kodagu, Koppal and Yadgir, other districts also reported fatalities.

A total of 2.63 crore samples have been tested so far, out of which 1,55,224 were on Wednesday alone.

The release said 86 people have so far tested positive for the UK strain, six for the South African strain and 62 for the Double Mutant (B.1.617) one.

A record one crore inoculations, comprising the first and second doses of the vaccine, have been done since the start of the vaccination drive on January 16, the department said.

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Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.

About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.

If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.

While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.

A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.

According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.

Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.

BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.

AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.

DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.