Kerala reports 195 fresh COVID-19 cases, overall tally crosses 4,000 mark

In the highest single day spike of COVID-19 cases so far, Kerala reported 195 positive cases on Saturday, taking the total number of infections in the state to 4,071. The state has been reporting over 100 cases each day for the past nine days.

Over 1.67 lakh people are under observation. While Malappuram reported the highest number of cases at 47, Palakkad witnessed 25 new infections, Thrissur recorded 22 and Kottayam (15),Health Minister K K Shailaja said in a press release here.

The number of cases in other districts was - Ernakulam (14), Alappuzha (13), Kollam (12), Kannur, Kasaragod (11 each), Kozhikode (8), Pathnamthitta (6), Wayanad (5), Thiruvananthapuram (4), Idukki (2).

Twenty-two people have so far succumbed to the virus. Of the positive cases, 118 people had come from abroad, including 62 from Kuwait, 26 from the UAE and eight from Saudi Arabia, and 62 from other states-- Tamil Nadu (19), Delhi (13) and Maharashtra (11) among others.

Fifteen people, including 10 from Malappuram, were infected through contact.

So far 2,108 have recovered from the infection, including 102 who were discharged today. Those presently under treatment are 1,939.

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About 1,67,978 people are presently under observationof whom 1,65,515 are in home/institutional quarantine and 2,463 in hospitals.

With a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, the government has ramped up testing of samples.

In the last 24 hours, 6,166 samples have been sent for testing.

So far, over 1.15 lakh samples have been sent for testing and results of 4032 samples are awaited, the release said.

Besides, as part of Sentinel surveillance, of the 44, 129 samples collected from health and migrant workers and people with high social contact, 42,411 are negative.

Palakkad reported the highest number of positive cases with 260, followed by Malappuram (218), Kollam (180), Ernakulam (167), Pathanamthitta (166), Alappuzha (161) and Kannur (152).

Meanwhile, state government has decided to suspend the lockdown restrictions on Sundays until further orders, as per an order issued by Chief Secretary, Dr Vishwas Mehta.

The night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am will continue on all days, including Sundays, the order stated. 

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