On Thursday, 5,376 more cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Kerala, while 5,590 patients with the disease recovered. The total number of cases recorded so far in the state crossed six lakh recently. It now stands at 6,20,050.
In the last 24 hours, 60,476 samples were tested, and the test positivity rate (TPR) has gone down to 8.89%, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. The TPR – number of people testing positive in 100 people tested – has been declining from the maximum percentage recorded in October. However, it has been hovering around 10 for some time.
So far, 63,38,754 samples have been sent for testing. The recoveries so far have touched 5,56,378.
Malappuram continues to remain at the top among the districts recording the highest number of cases with 714 cases being reported on Thursday. This was followed by Thrissur with 647 cases, Kozhikode with 547 and Ernakulam with 441. Thiruvananthapuram, which had for quite a while, remained at the top, recorded 424 cases on Thursday. It also reported the most recoveries with 380 people testing negative for the virus.
The toll due to the infection mounted to 2,330 with 31 additional fatalities. Six of the people who died were below 60, two of them in their twenties.
Of the positive cases reported on Thursday, 44 were health workers, 81 had come from outside the state and 4,724 were infected through contact.
As many as 3,11,237 people are under observation in various districts, including 15,256 in hospitals.
The total number of hotspots in the state stands at 473 with the deletion of nine areas and addition of Muhamma in Alappuzha.
Meanwhile, the police registered cases against 817 people for violating COVID-19 protocol and arrested 311 of them. At least 34 vehicles were seized. The police also reported 3,764 incidents of people not wearing masks in public.
(With PTI input)