Woman dies of COVID-19 in Kerala, toll rises to ten; 61 new cases reported

A 53-year old woman, who returned from Riyadh recently succumbed to the COVID-19 infection at Kozhikode Medical College hospital on Sunday, taking the total fatalities in the state due to the virus to 10. State Health Secretary Rajan Khobragade said the woman had heart-related ailmentsand tested positive on arrival.

"She was tested positive and was suffering from heart-related ailments but she passed away Sunday night," Khobragade told P T I. This is the tenth COVID-19-related death in Kerala while 61 new cases were reported on Sunday in the state after which the tally touched 1,269.

Of the 61 new positive cases, 57 are foreign returnees and other states and over 1.34 lakh people are under observation. While 670 people are under treatment for the infection in various hospitals, 590 have been treated and discharged, including 10 who have recovered today, Health Minister K K Shailaja said in a press release.

Palakkad reported the highest number of 12 cases, Kasaragod (10), Kannur (seven), Kollam, Alappuzha (six), Thiruvananthapuram, Pathnamthitta (four), Thrissur, Malappuram, Wayanad (three), Kozhikode (two) and Ernakulam (one).

Four cases, two each from Palakkad and Kollam districts, have been infected through contact. So far 1,31,651 people have entered the state, including 19,662 through airports and over one lakh through checkposts. Also, in the state 1,34,654 people are under observation in various districts, of whom 1,33,413 people are in home/institutional quarantine and 1,241 in hospitals, including 208 admitted today. In the last 24 hours, 3,099 samples have been sent for testing.

So far, samples of 67,371 people have been sent fortesting and results of 64,093 available are negative, therelease added.The total number of hotspots in the state has gone upto 116 with the addition of 10 more areas including Puthunagaram in Palakkad, Thalassery Municipality in Kannur and Punalur in Kollam. Palakkad has the highest number of coronavirus cases  with 138, followed by Kannur with 114 patients.