Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Friday recorded 118 new COVID-19 positive cases and 96 recoveries.
This is the fourth time that number of new infections crossed the 100-mark.
At present, the state has 1,380 active COVID patients.
Of the 2,912 people contracted the disease so far, 1,509 have been recovered, said a statement from the state health minister's office on Friday.
Six persons contracted the disease through contact. This included three from Thiruvananthapuram and one each from Kannur, Kottayam and Wayanad.
There will not be the usual complete lockdown coming Sunday, June 21. Initially, this looked like confused messaging at a time when COVID-19 numbers are on the rise, that too on the day fresh cases scaled a new peak.
It was only a day ago, the government had revised its latest order asking all government employees to attend office and brought back the 50 per cent attendance norm. And the very next day to relax the Sunday lockdown appeared like muddled thinking.
However, official sources said the Sunday relaxation was applicable only for June 21 as many entrance examinations were scheduled on the day.
Friday's positive cases: District–wise breakup
Malappuram – 18
Kollam – 17
Alappuzha – 13
Ernakulam – 11
Palakkad – 10
Pathanamthitta – 9
Kannur – 8
Thiruvananthapuram – 8
Kozhikode – 6
Kottayam – 7
Kasaragod – 4
Wayanad – 4
Idukki – 2
Thrissur – 1
Recoveries: District–wise breakup
Kannur – 21
Malappuram – 15
Kollam – 14
Palakkad – 14
Thrissur – 12
Kottayam – 7
Alappuzha – 4
Thiruvananthapuram – 3
Kozhikode – 3
Kasaragod – 3
Sixty seven foreign returnees and 45 from other states tested positive for COVID on Friday.
Country-wise split
Kuwait - 35, UAE - 14, Saudi Arabia - 10, Oman - 3, Russia - 2, Qatar -1, Tajikistan -1 and Kazakhstan.
State-wise split
Maharahstra - 16, Delhi - 9, Tamil Nadu - 8, Karnataka - 5, Assam - 2, Haryana - 2, Andhra Pradesh - 2, Telangana - 1
Of the 1,32,569 people under observation for suspected infection, 1,30,655 are under home or institutional quarantine while 1,914 are in hospital.
As many as 197 people were hospitalised on Friday.
As many as 1,30,358 samples have been sent for tests so far. In the last 24 hours, 4,889 samples tested, the statement said.
Samples of 36,051 people among priority groups were tested as part of sentinel surveillance. Of them, 34,416 have turned negative.
New hotspots
The government announced seven new hotspots on Friday. At present, there are 112 hotspots in the state.
New hotspots: Chapparappadavu, Irikkur, Kankol-Alappadambu, Keezhallur, Madayi, Ramanthali and Padiyur in Kannur district.
The places removed from the hotspot list: Kuttyattur, Mayyil and Pattyam in Kannur district.
New cases
Most number of cases were reported from Malappuram on Friday. Of the 18 people who tested positive, 15 are returnees from abroad and three from other states. All of them have been admitted to Manjeri Government Medical College.
In a huge relief, 50 fire and rescue personnel who had come to contact with a colleague who had tested positive on June 12 have tested negative.
In Kollam, 13 people tested positive. Six came from abroad and seven from other states. With this, the number of active cases rose to 100 in the district.
Ernakulam reported 11 cases. Five of them came from abroad and six from other states. Of the five returnees from abroad, four, including a woman of Eloor and her eight-year-old son, came by Kochi-bound flight from Kuwait on June 14.
Ten people tested positive in Palakkad. Three came from Gulf countries and seven from other states. Three of the patients belong to one family - a 47-year-old man, 40-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl.
Of the nine cases in Pathanamthitta, five came from abroad and four from other states.
Of the eight cases reported in Kannur, one contracted the disease through contacts. A 53-year-old man from Maloor contracted the disease through contact.
Of the six cases in Kozhikode, three each came from abroad and other states. In Idukki, two cases were confirmed. One of them is a driver at Kattappana. He used to travel to Tamil Nadu. His last trip was on June 15.
Seven cases were reported in Kottayam. They include a couple at Madappally near Changanassery. The 50-year-old-man came from Kuwait. His 48-year-old wife also tested positive.
Date for certificate extended
The state government on Friday extended the date to make COVID test mandatory for those returning to Kerala from abroad to June 24. Those who return from June 25 must be tested negative.
The date has been extended by four days following request from various expatriates' organisation to give them more time to arrange testing facilities.
