Bengaluru,  By administering a record 2.5-crore doses till date since the vaccination drive was launched across the state on January 16, Karnataka ranked first in South India in inoculating maximum number of its eligible population, said state Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Friday.

"Karnataka achieved another milestone in Covid vaccination by crossing 2.5 crore doses today (Friday)! The last 50-lakh doses were administered in 17 days! We (state) are first in South India and fifth in India," tweeted Sudhakar.

According to the state health bulletin, 2,52,07,840 people, including senior citizens above 45 years, healthcare workers, frontline warriors and those in the 18-44 years age group received the jab over the last 6 months.

"On Friday, 2,60,654 beneficiaries, including 1,13,739 above 45 years and 1,41,008 in the 18-44 years age group were vaccinated across the state," said the bulletin.

Meanwhile, 2,290 new cases were registered on Thursday, taking the state's Covid tally to 28,67,158, including 37,906, while recoveries rose to 27,93,498, with 3,045 patients discharged during the day.

As epi-centre of the pandemic in the state, Bengaluru, however, reported only 472 fresh cases on Thursday, taking its Covid tally to12,18,493, including 13,596 active cases, while 11,89,233 recovered, with 814 in the last 24 hours.

Among districts, 228 positive cases were recorded in Hassan, 216 in Mysuru and 209 in Dakshina Kannada across the state.

Out of 1,53,740 tests conducted across the state during the day, 31,454 were through rapid-antigen detection and 1,22,286 through RT-PCR method.

Positivity rate declined to 1.48 per cent while case fatality rate was up 2.96 per cent across the state on Thursday.