Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's COVID-19 case count reached 35,515 on Monday, with the state reporting 1,184 fresh cases. The state also registered 784 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

So far, 22,616 people recovered from the disease, while 12,737 patients are still under treatment in various hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed.

Local transmission of COVID-19 continues unabated as 956 of the newly reported cases contracted the virus through contact. Of this, the infection sources of 114 are unknown, the chief minister said.

Apart from this, 41 healthcare workers (13 from Thiruvananthapuram, seven each from Palakkad and Kozhikode, five from Kasaragod, four from Ernakulam, three from Malappuram, one each from Kollam and Thrissur) also contracted the virus.

Today's case count includes one air crew from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, one Defence Security Corp (DSC) jawan in Kannur and five INHS employees from Ernakulam.

Of the 1,184 cases reported on Monday, 106 people came from abroad, while 73 came from other states.

Seven more die

The chief minister also confirmed seven more deaths on Monday. The deceased were identified as Gracy Shainy (54) of Nayarambalam, Nafeesa (52) of Pallikkal in Ernakulam district, Aboobakkar (64), native of Koyilandy in Kozhikode, Jama (50) of Maranalloor in Thiruvananthapuram, Devadas (45) of Mayilakkad in Kollam, Muhammed Kunju (65) of Neeleswaram in Kasaragod and Aruvikkutty (65) of Kalpetta in Wayanad.

The official death toll now stands at 115.

District-wise break-up of today's positive cases:

Malappuram – 255 (contact cases – 219)

Thiruvananthapuram – 200 (178)

Palakkad – 147 (100)

Kasaragod – 146 (118)

Ernakulam – 101 (83)

Kozhikode – 66 (52)

Kannur – 63 (46)

Kollam – 41 (33)

Thrissur – 40 (33)

Kottayam – 40 (32)

Wayanad – 33 (32)

Alappuzha – 30 (20)

Idukki – 18 (9)

Pathanamthitta – 4 (1)

District-wise break-up of recoveries:

Thiruvananthapuram – 180

Palakkad – 102

Malappuram – 53

Kozhikode – 71

Pathanamthitta – 61

Thrissur – 60

Kottayam – 55

Ernakulam – 47

Wayanad – 41

Kollam – 37

Kannur –32

Alappuzha – 25

Kasaragod – 11

Idukki – 9

Kerala's coronavirus infection map saw a change on Monday as Malappuram became the district which reported maximum cases. The district confirmed 255 cases, its highest single-day count so far. Thiruvananthapuram has been topping the list for days with over 200 cases, but on Monday the capital district went behind Malappuram. However, the district yet again reported 200 cases.

Of the 255 cases in Malappuram, source of infection has not been traced in 37 cases. They include three healthcare workers and one Air India employee.

Palakkad saw a spike in the number of cases as 147 more people tested positive. Source of infection is not known in 29 cases, including six healthcare workers.

In Kasaragod, 146 more cases were confirmed. There are six cases without identified source.

Ernakulam also reported over 100 cases. Of the 101 cases, 23 are from Fort Kochi and Mattanchery regions. There are five healthcare workers among the cases.

Testing and quarantine:

In the last 24 hours, 20,583 samples have been tested, a health department statement said on Monday.

In total, 10,00,988 samples (including routine, airport surveillance, pooled sentinel, CBNAAT, TrueNAT, CLIA and antigen assay) were sent for testing. Of this, results of 2,829 samples are yet to be returned. Out of the 1,37,805 samples collected as part of sentinel surveillance, results of 127 samples are yet to be received, it said.

Of the 1,49,295 people under observation for suspected infection, 1,37,419 are home/institutional quarantined and 11,876 hospitalised. As many as 1,323 people were hospitalised since Sunday.

13 new places were designated as hotspots on Monday, while 9 LSGs were excluded from the list. The state presently has 531 hotspots.

Key points from CM's press meet:

• 288 tested positive from the 2800 samples collected from large community clusters in Thiruvananthapuram.

• Neighbourhood watch system to be implemented in Kerala with the help of Janamaithri police.

• Fort Kochi cluster is a major problem in Ernakulam area. Cases are reducing in Aluva cluster.

• Malappuram which reported the highest number of cases on Monday is an emerging concern.

• Twenty three passengers rescued from the Karipur air plane crash continue to be in critical condition. Three passengers are in ventilator and 81 are recovering.

• Makkoottam road at the Kerala-Karnataka border to be opened from 6am to 7pm.

• People must follow COVID-19 protocol in any circumstances. Police to strictly implement COVID-19 protocol in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode Rural, Kozhikode City, Wayanad, Palakkad, Ernakulam Rural and Thrissur City regions.

• Thirty-six migrant workers tested COVID positive in Kozhikode in a span of three days

• New COVID-19 cluster has emerged at Alappuzha district's Panavalli area.

• COVID testing will be facilitated at the border. All those who cross the border must register with the Jagratha portal.

• Twenty-three individuals still remain missing at Pettimudi in Idukki's Munnar.

• Limited clusters Kallikadu, Vellarada and Neyyatinkara Municipality in Thiruvananthapuram are likely to be converted to large clusters soon.

• IG S Sreejith has been appointed to coordinate the COVID mitigation efforts in coastal areas.