<span style="color: #222222;">In Karnataka, the spike in COVID cases continues with 5,172 new cases reported today. The number of people who died in the single day due to the virus are 98. <br />''<br />''The state has reported 1,29,287 positive cases till date and 73,219 are active now. The samples tested today are 34,760. The lion's share of new COVID cases are reported from Bengaluru urban district. With 1,852 new positive cases reported today, the total positive cases are 57,396, out of which 37,760 are active cases. With 27 deaths today in the district, total deaths have reached 1,056. AIR correspondent reports that</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><i><u> </u></i></span>3,860 COVID positive patients were discharged today after recovery. <br />''<br />''There are 53,648 persons who have recovered from the viral infection. There are 2,05,706 persons under observation, out of which 1,09,246 are primary contacts and 96,460 are secondary contacts. There are 602 people in ICU. Most of the deaths are of those who had Severe Acute Respiratory illness and Influenza like illness with symptoms of breathlessness, fever and cough.  <br />''<br />''The Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Ashwath Narayan reviewed the COVID related situation in the West Zone of Bengaluru. He called upon health officers to increase the number of COVID tests and asked them to initiate action against officials who fail to turn up for duty. He was told that out of 7,000 booth level officials, only 1,200 were present on duty. <br />