Kerala reported 5,507 new COVID cases and 4,270 recoveries on Tuesday.
With this, the total number of COVID cases in the state soared to 64,556.
So far, 7,51,659 have been cured of the virus.
Local transmission remains rife
Of the new cases, 4,952 had contracted the virus through contact while 53 had come from outside the state.
One who returned from the UK, where a new strain of the virus has forced another round of lockdown, has also tested positive for the virus.
With this, 55 UK returnees have tested positive for the virus. The new COVID strain was found in six of them.
Sixty-nine healthcare workers have also contracted the virus.
The infection source of 433 contact cases remains unclear.
Rising COVID cases in Ernakulam
Ernakulam, Kottayam and Kozhikode districts reported the most cases - 813, 709 and 566 respectively.
Testing and quarantine
During the last 24 hours, 64,614 samples were tested in the state.
The test positivity rate (i.e. the number of people likely to test positive for the virus in a group of 100) is 8.52.
So far, Kerala has sent 85,51,792 samples for testing.
There are currently 1,99,519 people under observation across the state.
Of them, 1,88,973 are under home or institutional quarantine while 10,546 are in hospitals. A total of 1,130 people were admitted to the hospital today.
COVID deaths
Twenty-five COVID deaths too were confirmed in the state.
With this, COVID death toll in the state rose to 3,347.
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.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:
Ernakulam - 813 (contact cases - 733)
Kottayam - 709 (638)
Kozhikode - 566 (550)
Pathanamthitta - 482 (414)
Thrissur - 479 (464)
Kollam - 447 (444)
Malappuram - 400 (385)
Thiruvananthapuram - 350 (249)
Alappuzha - 349 (341)
Kannur - 273 (229)
Wayanad - 207 (193)
Palakkad - 201 (91)
Idukki - 173 (167)
Kasaragod - 58 (24)
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's recoveries:
Kottayam - 850
Ernakulam - 516
Thrissur - 432
Kozhikode - 425
Pathanamthitta - 320
Thiruvananthapuram - 298
Malappuram - 297
Kollam - 277
Palakkad - 227
Kannur - 201
Alappuzha - 175
Wayanad - 110
Idukki - 74
Kasaragod - 68
