Kerala logs 5,440 new COVID-19 cases, 24 deaths

Kerala recorded 5,440 fresh coronavirus cases and 24 deaths on Sunday as the total number of those affected in the state surged to 4.86 lakh.

State Health Minister K K Shailaja said 105 of those infected came from outside the state while 4,699 contracted the disease through their contacts.

"Sources of infection of at least 585 people is yet to be identified. Fifty one health workers were also infected," she said in a release.

With 24 more fatalities, the toll rose to 1,692.

Meanwhile, the results of 6,853 people turned out to be negative, taking the number of those cured in the state to 4.02 lakh.

"Currently, there are 81,823 people under treatment in the state," the minister said.

At least 3.14 lakh people are under observation out of which 20,326 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.

The state has tested 48,798 samples in the last 24 hours and currently 50.98 lakh people have been tested in the state.

Four regions were removed and nine new regions were added to the list of hot spots in the state taking the total number to 617.

Malappuram reported 540 cases on Sunday, Kollam 488, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam with 479, 421 and 406 cases respectively.