Kerala recorded 5,005 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday after testing 52,310 samples.
The test positivity rate in the state is currently at 9.57.
Of the new cases, 4,506 had contracted the virus through contact while 68 had come from outside the state. Among the contact cases, the source of infection of 388 is yet to be traced.
With this, the number of active cases in the state reached 68,991.
The state has reported 8,47,848 COVID-19 infections so far. Of this, 7,75,176 were cured including 4,408 recoveries on Sunday.
Twenty-one COVID deaths too were confirmed on the day. With this, COVID death toll rose to 3,463.
Though more deaths were reported, the state is yet to ascertain them as COVID deaths. Tests are underway at the National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha.
No UK returnees have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state in the past 24 hours. So far, 56 people with recent travel history to the United Kingdom have ttested COVID-19 positive in the state since a new infectious strain of the virus was reported. Their samples were sent to NIV, Pune for further testing. Among them, total of 9 people were diagnosed with the genetically modified virus strain.
Here's the break-up of today's positive cases:
Ernakulam – 767 (723 contact cases)
Kozhikode – 677 (659)
Malappuram – 479 (457)
Kollam – 439 (430)
Pathanamthitta – 427 (377)
Kottayam – 399 (369)
Alappuzha – 302 (287)
Thiruvananthapuram – 296 (186)
Thrissur – 262 (249)
Kannur – 239 (185)
Idukki – 237 (227)
Wayanad – 226 (209)
Palakkad – 176 (76)
Kasaragod – 79 (69)
Recoveries:
Thiruvananthapuram – 431
Kollam – 176
Pathanamthitta – 437
Alappuzha – 512
Kottayam – 367
Idukki – 83
Ernakulam – 427
Thrissur – 433
Palakkad – 221
Malappuram – 515
Kozhikode – 457
Wayanad – 179
Kannur – 118
Kasaragod – 52
Forty-three health workers were also tested positive on the day. They include 10 from Wayanad, 8 from Kannur, 5 each from Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, 4 each from Pathanamthitta and Thrissur, 3 from Kasaragod, 1 each from Kottayam, Idukki, Palakkad and Malappuram.
Testing and Quarantine
Till Sunday, 88,68,737 samples (including routine, airport surveillance, pooled sentinel, CBNAAT, TrueNAT, CLIA and antigen assay) were sent for testing.
A total of 2,09,679 people are under observation across the state. Of them, 1,98,502 are under home or institutional quarantine while 11,177 are in hospital. A total of 1,217 were admitted in hospitals on Sunday.
Hotspots
Eight regions have been designated as hotspots while one was removed from the list. The total number of hotspots is at 420 in the state now.
The new hotspots are Kokkayar (containment zone ward 6), Peruvanthathanam (14), and Kamakshi (8) in Idukki district, Mullappuzhassery (sub ward 11) and Vallikode (11) in Pathanamthitta, Adichanalloor (sub ward 16) and Venmani (2) in Kollam and Shornur Municipality (6) in Palakkad District.
