Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 28 (IANS): Acknowledging that Karnataka has witnessed a slight rise in the number of Covid cases after April 9, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, however, on Thursday that it would be premature to term it as the 'fourth wave' of the pandemic.

"The rise in cases is being monitored and precautionary measures are being taken," he told media persons here, adding that almost the entire state's eligible population has been vaccinated.

"A spike in Covid cases is being reported in Europe and a few other countries especially among those who have not been vaccinated. About 98 per cent of the eligible population has been vaccinated in Karnataka. Attention is being given to administer precautionary vaccine doses in the state," he said.

With the Centre approving vaccination for children in the age group of 6 to 12, he said it has been decided to launch the vaccination drive at primary schools.

Stressing that greater emphasis is being given for vaccination, Bommai said that officials have been instructed to ramp up testing, and special monitoring of ILI and SARI cases is being done. If found positive, their reports are being sent for genome sequencing to ascertain the exact variant of the virus.

"Already 8,500 genome sequencing tests have been done in the state - over 4,000 in Bengaluru and the rest in other parts of the state," he said.

Queried on the row between actors Sudeep and Ajay Devgn on language, Bommai expressed his agreement with the former's stand. "Our states have been formed on linguistic basis. So the concerned state language or the mother tongue should get prominence and supremacy. Everyone should understand and respect that," he said.