2,098 more test positive

Test positivity rate shows a slight increase at 3.49%

The State reported 2,098 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday when 60,193 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, taking the cumulative case burden to 10,96,392.

The test positivity rate showed a slight increase at 3.49%

On Wednesday, with 2,815 recoveries being reported, the active case pool dipped to 25,394 cases. The cumulative recoveries has risen to 10,66,259.

Death toll

The addition of 13 new deaths during the past few days to the official list of fatalities on Wednesday took the toll to 4,435 deaths.

Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Malappuram reported two deaths each, while one death each was reported in Kollam, Alappuzha. Kottayam, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.

The number of critically ill COVID patients in the State who are currently being treated in ICUs in various hospitals in the State came down to 479 on Wednesday, according to official reports, with 132 of them requiring ventilator assistance.

Of the new cases on Wednesday, 1,888 cases are believed to be locally acquired infections. This includes infections reported in nine health workers. In 72 cases, the Health Department has reported a history of travel to other States. No history of travel or contact with infected persons are reported or known in the case of 138 infections.

Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the maximum number of new cases with 255 cases. Kozhikode reported 246 cases, Kollam 230, Thiruvananthapuram 180, Kottayam 169, Malappuram 163, Pathanamthitta 156, Kannur 139, Thrissur 137, Kasaragod 131, Alappuzha 91, Palakkad 75, Idukki 67, and Wayanad 59.

Foreign travellers

Two more persons from the U.K. who arrived in the State during the past 24 hours have tested positive for SARS-CoV2

With this, so far 106 people who arrived from abroad since mid-December have tested positive. This includes 101 from the U.K., four from South Africa and one from Brazil. Official reports said that 95 of them have since tested negative.

So far, 11 persons, including one contact of a U.K. returnee, have tested positive for the virus variant B.1.1.7 in the State.

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