Bengaluru, Mar 6 (IANS): Contrary to expectations of the virus flattening, 677 new Covid cases were registered in a day across Karnataka, while 427 patients were discharged, said the state health bulletin.

"With 677 new cases on Thursday, the state's Covid tally has gone up 9,53,813 till date, including 6,374 active cases while 9,35,066 recovered, with 427 discharged during the last 24 hours.

The virus claimed four lives, including two in Bengaluru and one each at Bidar in the state's northern region and Chikkaballapur, taking the southern state's death toll to 12,354 since the pandemic broke a year ago.

In Bengaluru, 444 fresh cases were reported on Thursday, taking the city's Covid tally to 4,07,269, including 4,592 active cases while 3,94,183 recovered till date, with 208 during the day.

Of the 112 patients in the intensive care units (ICU), 50 are in Bengluru hospitals and 10 in Kalaburagi, with the rest scattered in 29 districts across the state.

Out of 78,807 tested during the day, 4,896 were through rapid-antigen and 73,911 were through RT-PCR method.

Positivity rate for the day was 0.85 per cent and case fatality rate was 0.59 per cent across the state on Thursday.

Meanwhile, 20,945 people, including 12,521 senior citizens above 60 years were vaccinated during the day along with 2,087 comorbid symptoms above 45 years, 5,379 healthcare workers and 959 frontline warriors.