Kerala reported 5,142 new COVID cases and 5, 325 recoveries on Friday.
With this, the total number of active cases in the state fell to 64,236.
Local transmission still rife
Of the new cases, 4,563 had contracted the virus via local transmission while 88 had come from outside the state. The infection source of 424 remains unclear.
COVID among UK returnees
Three who returned from the UK, where a new strain of coronavirus has forced another round of lockdown, also tested positive for the virus.
With this, the number of UK returnees who contracted the virus is 50. Six of them tested for the new virus strain.
Sixty-seven healthworkers too tested positive for the virus.
Growing concern in Ernakulam
Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts reported the most cases - 708, 500, 469 respectively.
During the last 24 hours, 59,569 samples were tested. The test positivity rate in the state (i.e. the number of people likely to test positive for the virus in a group of 100) is 8.63.
COVID deaths
Twenty-three COVID deaths were also confirmed.
With this, COVID death toll in the state rose to 3,257.
Though more deaths were reported, the State is yet to ascertain them as COVID deaths.
Tests are underway at National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha.
Recoveries
So far, over 7,33,384 have been cured of the virus.
There are currently 1,98,270 people under observation across the state. Of them, 1,87,104 are under home or institutional quarantine while 11,166 are in hospitals.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:
Ernakulam – 708 (644 contact cases)
Thrissur – 500 (479)
Kozhikode – 469 (436)
Kottayam – 462 (429)
Pathanamthitta – 433 (371)
Malappuram – 419 (398)
Kollam – 377 (369)
Alappuzha – 341 (331)
Thiruvananthapuram – 313 (219)
Idukki – 301 (293)
Palakkad – 267 (98)
Kannur – 249 (205)
Wayanad – 238 (230)
Kasaragod - 65 (61)
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's recoveries:
Thiruvananthapuram – 307
Kollam – 323
Pathanamthitta – 728
Alappuzha – 366
Kottayam – 545
Idukki – 99
Ernakulam – 686
Thrissur – 366
Palakkad – 207
Malappuram – 569
Kozhikode – 574
Wayanad – 126
Kannur – 318
Kasaragod - 111
