Karnataka has reported 2,052 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 35 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 29,01,247 and the toll to 36,491, the health department said on Thursday.

The new cases today were 34 per cent more than Wednesday's tally of 1,531. Bengaluru, the capital city, clocked 505 cases, also 34 per cent more than Wednesday's count of 376.

The day also saw 1,332 discharges, continuing to outnumber the fresh cases, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 28,41,479.

Out of 2,052 new cases reported on Thursday, 506 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 257 discharges and only 9 deaths.

Total number of active cases in the state is at 23,253.

Out of 35 deaths reported on Thursday 9 are from Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada 8, Chamarajanagara, Kolara, Mysuru, Uttara Kannada 2, followed by others.

Among the districts where new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 506, Dakshina Kannada 396, Udupi 174, Mysuru 157, Hassan 136, followed by others.

Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 12,26,463, followed by Mysuru 1,72,637 and Tumakuru 1,17,667.

Cumulatively a total of 3.83 crore samples have been tested in the state so far, out of which 1,48,861 were tested on Thursday alone.

As for vaccination, 1,00,224 doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered in the state till 3.30 pm today. This has taken the total number of doses administered to 2,97,01,032.

Following a stringent lockdown put in place during the second wave of Covid infections during which people struggled to find hospital beds, medicines and oxygen cylinders, the Karnataka government relaxed the curbs as the cases dropped.

From July 19, it also allowed cinema theatres to open and reduced the duration of night curfew by an hour. Colleges and universities were given the go-ahead to hold offline classes from July 26.

Bengaluru is now back to its busy look with roads full of traffic at peak hours. Full seating has been allowed on buses and trains. Places of worship can conduct rituals now.

The state has, meanwhile, had a change of guard with veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa stepping down as Chief Minister and Basavaraj Bommai taking charge.

Speaking to NDTV, Bommai said that Covid, along with the flood situation, were his two immediate priorities.