Bengaluru,  With a record 10,497 new cases reported in Bengaluru in a day, the Karnataka government on Thursday ordered state-run hospitals across the city to reserve more beds for treating Covid patients.

"All government hospitals have been directed to reserve more beds for treating Covid patients, as active cases have been surging by the day," state Health Minister K. Sudhakar told reporters here.

According to the state health bulletin, 10,497 new cases were registered across the state capital on Wednesday, taking its Covid tally to 5,12,521, including 71,827 active cases.

A record 14,738 new cases were reported from across the state on Wednesday, taking the state's Covid tally to 11,09,650, including 96,561 active cases.

"Of 66 deaths during the day, 30 were from Bengaluru Urban district, followed by 6 each in Bengaluru Rural, and Ballari, and 5 in Mysuru," said the bulletin.

Warning of strict action if private hospitals did not cooperate with the state government in the fight against coronavirus, Sudhakar said they have been instructed to reserve 50 per cent of their beds for Covid patients.

"We have transferred 400 doctors to the Health Department from the Medical Education Department for treating Covid patients in state-run hospitals across the city, which has over 50 per cent of the state's caseload," said Sudhakar, a medical doctor by profession.

"All beds in the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Communicable Diseases in the city have been reserved for SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections) and ILI (Influenza Like Illness) related cases," he added.

The Health Department has decided to increase beds in the state-run Victoria hospital to 500 from 300, while 300 beds in Bowring hospital, 150 beds in Charaka hospital, 100 beds each in HSIS Ghosha hospital and KC General hospital in the city will be reserved for only Covid patients.

"We have also advised private hospitals to admit only critical non-Covid patients for treatment so as to keep more beds ready for serious Covid patients, who cannot be denied treatment on priority," Sudhakar said.

Of 555 patients in ICUs, 174 are in Bengaluru hospitals, 81 in Kalaburagi, 43 in Kolar, 31 in Mysuru, 25 in Dharwad, 23 in Bidar and 21 in Tumakur, with the rest in the remaining 24 districts.

"Private hospitals can arrange Covid care centres at nearby hotels so that critical patients can get treatment in their hospitals," the minister added.