Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 28,447 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Kerala on Friday. Test positivity rate rose to 21.78 percent. Also 27 deaths were reported in the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed this in a press meet after the Covid review meeting held here on Friday.

The district-wise statistics of positive cases: Ernakulam – 4548, Kozhikode – 3939, Thrissur – 2952, Malappuram – 2671, Thiruvananthapuram – 2345, Kannur – 1998, Kottayam – 1986, Palakkad – 1728, Alappuzha – 1239, Pathanamthitta – 1171, Kasaragod – 1110, Kollam – 1080, Idukki – 868 and Wayanad – 812.

As part of the mass testing, 2,90,262 samples were collected on Wednesday and Thursday. 1,30,617 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. In total, 1,48,58,794 samples including routine sample, sentinel sample, CBNAAT, Truenat, POCT, PCR, RTLAMP, antigen were sent for the tests.

None of the UK, South Africa or Brazil returnees tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. So far, 108 people returned from UK, 7 from South Africa and 1 from Brazil tested positive for the virus infection. 112 of them have recovered. So far, 11 patients have been identified with the mutant virus strain.

27 deaths were confirmed due to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. The total number of deaths in the state has touched 5,055. Test results from Alappuzha NIV are awaited to confirm other suspected Covid deaths.

315 of the coronavirus patients came from outside the state. 26,303 people contracted the virus through contact. The infection source of 1756 persons remains unidentified.

The district-wise statistics of contact cases: Ernakulam – 4477, Kozhikode – 3860, Thrissur – 2920, Malappuram – 2529, Thiruvananthapuram – 1950, Kannur – 1812, Kottayam – 1858, Palakkad – 809, Alappuzha – 1231, Pathanamthitta – 1099, Kasaragod – 1061, Kollam – 1067, Idukki – 838 and Wayanad – 792.

73 health workers also tested positive for Covid on Friday. Among them, 13 were from Thiruvananthapuram, 12 from Kannur, 11 from Thrissur, 9 from Wayanad, 7 from Kasaragod, 6 each from Kollam and Kozhikode, 3 each from Ernakulam and Palakkad, and 1 each from Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Kottayam.

5,663 recoveries were also reported in the state. The district-wise statistics of recoveries: Thiruvananthapuram – 711, Kollam – 158, Pathanamthitta – 153, Alappuzha – 127, Kottayam – 538, Idukki – 227, Ernakulam – 572, Thrissur – 614, Palakkad – 221, Malappuram – 529, Kozhikode – 1012, Wayanad – 219, Kannur – 335 and Kasaragod – 247.

There are 1,78,983 active Covid-19 cases in the state. 11,66,135 people have recovered from the disease. 3,91,463 people are currently under observation in the state. Out of this, 3,74,464 are under home/institutional quarantine and 16,999 people are in hospitals. 3,609 people were taken to hospitals on Friday.

Seven new hotspots were identified on Friday while three places were removed from the list. Currently, there are 523 hotspots in the state.

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