Kerala logs 5,718 new COVID-19 cases, 5,496 recoveries

Kerala recorded 5,718 fresh COVID-19 cases and 5,496 recoveries on Friday, as the toll mounted to 2,358 with 29 additionalfatalities, Health minister K K Shailaja said.

In the last 24 hours, 57,456 samples have been tested and the test positivity rate climbed to 9.95 per cent. So far, 64,96,210 samples have been sent for testing, the minister said in a press release.

Of the positive cases, 60 are health workers, 95 had come from outside the state and 4,991 were infected through contact.

The total caseload soared to 6,25,767 while 5,61,874 people have been cured of the disease and 61,401 are undergoing treatment, the minister said.

Malappuram accounted for 943 cases, followed by Kozhikode 773, Kottayam 570 and Thrissur 528.

As many as 3,14,029 people are under observation in various districts, including 15,100 in various hospitals.

Six new areas were added to the list of hotspots in the state and 38 removed, taking the total number to 444.