Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala recorded 17,821 COVID-19 cases on Monday, pushing the total cases to 23,65,787.
With 196 deaths being reported on Monday, the state's death toll has risen to 7,554.
Deaths are rising and will continue for the next two weeks even though disease transmission is beginning to go down, as the State is just past the peak of the epidemic.
As many as 36,039 people were cured of the infection, taking the total recoveries to 20,98,674.
The active cases touched 2,59,179, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed during his customary sunset briefing.
In the last 24 hours, 87,331 samples were tested and the test positivity rate was 20.41 per cent.
Of the positive cases, 78 were health workers, while 97 had come from outside the state and 16,556 infected through contact. The source of infection of 1,090 among them is unknown.
Key points from the CM's presser:
• Lockdown has helped bringing down virus spread. Ten days ago, the active caseload was around 4.5 lakh. Today it's 2,59,179.
• It will take two-three weeks to reduce rush at hospitals and bring down death rate.
• Triple lockdown had been in place in Malappuram for the past nine days. The district is yet to witness a dip in cases in accordance with the strict measures being taken by the government. Most people are getting infected within homes. More number of joint families are a reason for this.
• In 15 medical blocks, special control rooms have been opened. Those violating quarantine will be shifted to CFLTCs.
• Those violating triple lockdown will have to undergo antigen tests. Those turning positive will be shifted to CFLTCs.
• Police surveillance will be made stricter in Malappuram. Police teams, including higher officials, are conducting rigorous checks. Considering the special situation in Malappuram, everyone has to be more vigilant and cautious. Palakkad also needs stronger interventions.
• Even though triple lockdown has been called off in Thiruvananthapuram, Covid spread is high in 43 panchayats. Test positivity rate is over 30 per cent in these panchayats.
• In Ernakulam, TPR is above 50 only in one panchayat. Mobile testing facility will be set up there.
• In Kozhikode, the highest TPR is in Karassery panchayat -- 58%. In Azhiyoor it's 55%.
• If a black fungus case is reported, the hospital has to report it to the health department immediately. A special protocol will be constituted for handling black fungus cases.
• It has been noticed that expatriates who have to return to foreign countries are facing difficulties as they can't go back without getting vaccinated. Only Covishield vaccine has been approved by foreign countries. As per the existing protocol, second dose of Covishield could be administered only after 84 days of the first dose. The government is examining if the gap between the two doses could be reduced.
District-wise breakup of today's positive cases:
Thiruvananthapuram - 2,570 (contact cases - 2,443)
Malappuram - 2,533 (2,456)
Palakkad - 1,898 (1191)
Ernakulam - 1,885 (1801)
Kollam - 1,494 (1485)
Thrissur - 1,430 (1412)
Alappuzha - 1,272 (1269)
Kozhikode - 1,256 (1224)
Kottayam - 1,090 (1010)
Kannur - 947 (877)
Idukki - 511 (503)
Kasaragod - 444 (430)
Pathanamthitta - 333 (313)
Wayanad - 158 (142)
District-wise breakup of recoveries:
Thrissur - 6,501
Malappuram - 5,040
Ernakulam - 4,393
Kozhikode - 3,321
Palakkad - 3,156
Thiruvananthapuram - 3,048
Kollam - 2,728
Kottayam - 2,298
Kannur - 1,670
Pathanamthitta - 1,433
Idukki - 1,052
Kasaragod - 841
Alappuzha - 474
Wayanad – 84
Testing and quarantine
A total of 9,28,541 people are under observation in various districts. Of these, 8,89,627 are under home or institutional quarantine and 6,62,42 are in hospitals.
3,248 people were admitted in hospitals on Monday.
So far, 1,88,81,587 samples (including the augmented sample) have been sent for testing.
On Monday, two more regions have been converted into hotspots and one has been excluded from the list taking the total number of hotspots to 879 in the state.
