Health officials in Karnataka have appealed to people not to lower guard after 49 students from Kerala studying in a nursing college near the coastal city of Mangaluru tested positive for COVID-19. "The news of 49 students testing positive in a nursing college in Ullal near Mangaluru is a grim reminder of how unpredictable the Covid virus is! Covid is still a threat, please continue to take necessary precautions", Health and Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K tweeted on Thursday.

The Aaliyah Institute of Nursing in Dakshina Kannada district was sealed by authorities on Wednesday. Out of the 104 samples of staff and students tested, 49 BSc nursing students, who had come for examinations after months-long break, tested positive, Dr H Ashok, nodal officer of Dakshina Kannada district, which borders Kerala, said. The college premises has been made a containment zone till February 19.

On Wednesday, Karnataka logged 426 new COVID-19 cases and two related fatalities, taking the total infection count to 9,40,596 and the toll to 12,225, according to the Health department. The day also saw 433 patients getting discharged after recovery. Bengaluru Urban district continued to top the list of cases reported, with 231 infections.

Cumulatively 9,40,596 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 12,225 deaths and 9,22,437 discharges, the department said in a bulletin.