Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's COVID-19 case count reached 36,932 on Tuesday, with the state reporting 1,417 fresh cases. The state also registered 1,426 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

This is the second-highest single-day count since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the state. The highest single-day count was reported on August 8 with 1,420 positive cases. The state is reporting over 1,000 cases for the eighth consecutive day. In the last 10 days, Kerala reported 12,190 fresh COVID-19 cases, 10,267 recoveries and 39 deaths.

So far, 24,042 people recovered from the disease, while 12,721 patients are still under treatment in various hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed.

Local transmission of COVID-19 continues unabated as 1,242 of the newly reported cases contracted the virus through contact. Of this, the infection sources of 105 are unknown, the chief minister said.

Apart from this, 36 healthcare workers (12 from Thiruvananthapuram, seven from Palakkad, five from Kasaragod, four from Malappuram, three each from Ernakulam and Kannur and two from Kozhikode) also contracted the virus. A flight crew from Kozhikode and a KSE employee also tested positive on Tuesday.

Of the 1,417 cases reported today, 62 people came from abroad, while 72 came from other states.

The chief minister also confirmed seven more deaths on Tuesday, taking the official death toll to 120.

The deceased were identified as Chellayya (68) of Varkala, Prema (52) of Vellanad, Maniyan (80) of Valiyathura in Thiruvananthapuram, Reetha Charlse (87) of Chellanam in Ernakulam and Kumba Maradi (75) of Kolayad in Kannur district.

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

Thiruvananthapuram – 297 (contact cases – 279)

Malappuram – 242 (195)

Kozhikode – 158 (127)

Kasaragod – 147 (140)

Alappuzha – 146 (131)

Palakkad – 141 (114)

Ernakulam – 133 (125)

Thrissur – 32 (28)

Kannur –30 (22)

Kollam – 25 (24)

Kottayam – 24 (23)

Pathanamthitta – 20 (12)

Wayanad – 18 (all are contact cases)

Idukki – 4 (all are contact cases)

District-wise break-up of recoveries:

Thiruvananthapuram – 498

Kasaragod – 266

Kozhikode – 103

Ernakulam – 70

Alappuzha – 70

Idukki – 68

Thrissur – 65

Malappuram – 51

Wayanad – 48

Kottayam – 47

Pathanamthitta – 41

Palakkad – 40

Kollam – 32

Kannur – 27

For the second consecutive day, Malappuram reported over 200 cases with 242 people testing positive. The newly infected people include four health workers. Source of infection has not been identified in 32 cases.

Kozhikode reported 158 cases. There are 20 migrant labourers in Kozhikode corporation among those tested positive. Source has not been trace in six cases.

In Kasaragod, 147 more cases were confirmed. Of them, 73 were reported from Uduma panchayat. Thirty-seven cases were reported from Chemmanad panchayat and 13 from Pallikkara panchayat.

Alappuzha reported 146 cases. Most of the cases were detected in areas like Pattanakkad, Panavally and Kadakkarapally.

Palakkad reported 141 cases. Of them, 37 cases do not have identified sources. Six health workers tested positive. Five of them are staff of a hospital at Alathur. One is a staffer of Mannarkad taluk hospital. Fourteen migrant labourers who came for work at a private firm in Kanjikode also tested positive.

Ernakulam also reported over 100 cases. Of the 133 cases, 27 are from Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. Two health workers of Aluva district hospital and one of Ernakulam General Hospital have also tested positive.

Testing and quarantine

In the last 24 hours, 21,625 samples have been tested, a health department statement said on Tuesday.

In total, 10,27,433 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 1,39,543 samples collected as part of sentinel surveillance, results of 1505 samples are yet to be received, it said.

Of the 1,49,707 people under observation for suspected infection, 1,37,586 are home/institutional quarantined and 12,121 hospitalised. As many as 1456 people were hospitalised since Monday.

25 new places were designated as hotspots on Tuesday, while 32 LSGs were excluded from the list. The state presently has 523 hotspots.

Key points from CM's press meet:

• Sixty-eight fishermen from other states have been tested COVID positive.

• Thiruvananthapuram Varkala native Chellaya, 68, Kannur Kolayodu natyive Kumba Maradi, 75, Thiruvananthapuram Valiyathura native Maniyan, 80, Ernakulam Chellanam native Reeta Charles, 87, Thiruvananthapuram Vellanad native Prema, 52 died of COVID-19 in the state.

• Thrissur city's market management technique to be adopted in all districts of the state for COVID containment.

• Visitors bringing goods from other states will be provided a disinfected, sanitised accommodation.

• Rs 2,000 fine to be imposed on second-time offenders for not wearing mask in public. A data bank will be maintained to keep track of offenders.

• COVID containment strategy will be tightened in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Malappuram districts with the help of police force.

• The public has been largely receptive of the police involvement in COVID containment, the Kerala CM said.

• Community spread is being reported from Athirampuzha, Ettumanoor areas of Kottayam district. Athirampuzha panchayat, which was part of the Ettumanoor cluster has been declared a separate cluster.

• The spread of disease also continues in Ernakulam's Fort Kochi cluster. Mattancherry, Palluruthy, Kumbalangi areas have seen a surge in cases.

• Industries in containment zones can function as per COVID-19 guidelines.

• The Health Department is equipped to battle other infections such as dengue, leptospirosis and so forth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

• COVID-19 spread continues unabated in the coastal areas of Alappuzha district. The six clusters of Kadakkarapalli, Chettikkadu, Punnapra North, Amabalappuzha South, Vettikkal and Panavalli are the major areas of concern.

• Onam kit to be provided to 88 lakh ration card holders. The distribution will begin on Thursday.

• It has been observed that many fishermen tend to stay in the sea after arriving for fishing activities. Fishermen who arrive in Kerala without a pass from Jagratha portal cannot be permitted in the state, the CM said.

• Schools and other educational institutions cannot resume operations in a regular manner in the current scenario. Discussions are on to conduct the next academic year without examinations.