Bengaluru, Jun 17 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Karnataka for its efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the gradual revival of the economy, said chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday.

"During the interaction through the video conferencing for the sixth time, the Prime Minister appreciated the state's efforts in combating the COVID-19 spread and steps taken to unlock the economy with the gradual relaxation of the extended lockdown norms," Yediyurappa said in a statement here.

Modi advised the state to minimise the lockdown norms and proceed towards unlocking the sectors that remained shut to prevent the virus spread.

"The Prime Minister expressed hope that the self-reliance package will boost economic activities across the sectors," said Yediyurappa.

Briefing the Prime Minister on measures taken to reduce the pandemic impact, the chief minister said the timely adoption of the 5T policy of trace, track, test, treat and technology helped the state fight the virus.

Of the 7,734 positive cases registered across the state till Wednesday since March 10, the recovery rate has been above the national average of 51 per cent to touch 4,804, while active cases remained at 2,824, with only 102 deaths.

"We are ramping up the healthcare infrastructure to treat 2 lac COVID infected patients from 1-lac capacity. We have also set up 673 fever clinics across the state to test asymptomatic persons and contain the virus spread," Yediyurappa told Modi during the hour-long interaction.

The state has also increased COVID labs to 72 with a capacity to conduct 15,000 tests a day.

"For every 10-lac population, 7,500 tests are being conducted and results have shown that only 1.6 per cent of them (tests) were positive. The pandemic growth rate has been 3.6 per cent so far," Yediyurappa told the prime minister.

Noting that COVID war rooms played a key role in the surveillance and maintaining a robust database, the chief minister said the state government was making all private hospitals and nursing homes reserve a part of their facilities for treating COVID patients.

"Tele-ICU facility has been set up to connect doctors in Bengaluru with their counterparts treating COVID patients across the state," added Yediyurappa.

Making a presentation on the various measures the state health department has taken to contain the virus, state medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar told Modi that extensive use of technology, training, preventive measures from panchayat to city and best practices helped the state fight the COVID war.