Bengaluru, Mar 31 (IANS): Karnataka reported five more coronavirus positive cases, raising the total in the southern state to 88, an official said on Monday.

"Till date, 88 corona patients have been confirmed in the state," a health official said.

As many as 78 patients are in isolation at hospitals across the state and stable, except one person who is on ventilator.

The new cases were reported between 5 pm on Sunday and 2 pm on Monday.

Karnataka's 84th positive case is a 13-year-old boy from Tumkur, son of a sexagenarian who passed away on Friday morning in Tumkur. He was Karnataka's third Covid death.

Interestingly, four more people from the Mysuru pharmaceutical company, all contacts of a corona postive patient, have also tested positive.

This patient is a 35-year-old Mysuru resident with no travel or positive case contact history.

On Sunday also, five of his contacts tested positive, all from same company.

A 32-year-old man from Nanjangud, Mysuru, the pharmaceutical company employee has tested positive.

Similarly, a 34-year-old man, a 21-year-old man and another 24-year-old man, all from the same company, became 86th, 87th and 88th patient in Karnataka.

The Karnataka government issued a circular to direct all educational institutions not to shut student hostels, working women's hostels, and provide clean food during the lockdown.

Meanwhile, 10 people under home quarantine in the city slipped away from isolation but were later apprehended.

"Nobody can dodge the long arm of law. Ten persons under home quarantine in Bengaluru escaped to their native places but were arrested. A case has been registered against them at Gurmitkal police station," tweeted city civic body Commissioner B. H. Anil Kumar.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation distributed 2,000 food packets to those from the marginalised sections, each containing groceries and food supplies sufficient for 21 days.