Kerala reported 5,771 new COVID cases and 5,594 recoveries on Thursday.
With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state soared to 72,392.
So far, 8,35,046 have been cured of the virus in the state.
Local transmission
Of the new cases, 5,228 contracted the virus through contact while 88 had come from outside the state.
Forty-five healthcare workers also tested positive for the virus.
COVID rampage in Ernakulam
Ernakulam, Kollam and Kozhikode districts reported the most cases - 784, 685, 584 cases respectively.
A total of 58,472 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.
The test positivity rate, i.e. the number of people likely to test positive for the virus in a group of 100, is 9.87.
So far, a total of 94,59,221 samples have been sent for testing.
19 COVID deaths
Nineteen COVID deaths were also confirmed in the state.
With this, COVID death toll in the state rose to 3,682.
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.
There are currently 2,14,935 people under observation across the state. Of them, 2,03,126 are under home or institutional quarantine while 11,809 are in hospitals.
Chief Minister urges 'back to basics' as Covid cases surge in Kerala
Chief Minister urges 'back to basics' as Covid cases surge in Kerala
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his COVID briefing which was held after a break, said that the number of cases has been on the rise in the state for the past few weeks and the people need to be more vigilant.
Vijayan claimed that the test rate in the state is still higher than many other states while the state has managed to keep the fatality rate low. "The COVID fatality rate in the state is the lowest in the country at 0.4 per cent," he said.
He presented the figures showing the steady rise of the cases in the past three weeks. The state reported 35,296 cases in the week from January 4 to 10 while it rose to 36,700 in the week from January 11 to 17. In the week from January 18, cases rose to 42,430.
The CM said 25,000 police personnel will be deployed to ensure that Covid protocol is followed by the people.
He said only a new sero surveillance can find out if the virus spread in the state is unnatural as being alleged by some people.
A year after Kerala reported the first COVID case, nearly 3 per cent of the state's population have contracted the virus.
Citing this, Vijayan urged all to take the necessary precautionary measures. "Whatever be the criticism, the government will not step back from the preventive measures against COVID," he said.
Vijayan also laid out the need to instate the ward-level COVID monitoring system that had been in place during the early days of the outbreak.
He also urged people to avoid travelling after 10 pm.
"Don't mistake these new relaxations as COVID being over. It's not. COVID cases are rising," Vijayan said.
The state needs to go back to the basics of COVID prevention, he said.
On vaccine drive in Kerala
Kerala has got 7,94,000 doses of Covidshield vaccines, Vijayan said.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:
Thiruvananthapuram - 408
Pathanamthitta - 452
Kollam - 685
Idukki - 279
Kottayam - 522
Alappuzha - 432
Ernakulam - 784
Thrissur - 424
Palakkad - 236
Malappuram - 413
Kozhikode - 584
Kannur - 275
Wayanad - 193
Kasaragod - 84
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's recoveries:
Thiruvananthapuram - 270
Pathanamthitta - 529
Kollam - 547
Idukki - 282
Kottayam - 482
Alappuzha - 391
Ernakulam - 792
Thrissur - 612
Palakkad - 148
Malappuram - 387
Kozhikode - 610
Kannur - 274
Wayanad - 224
Kasaragod - 46