Thiruvananthapuram: Eighteen deaths were confirmed in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed during a press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram.

The deceased have been identified as Karthiyaani (67), a resident of Ottapalam, Palakkad who died on September 15; Parameswaran (77), a native of Kollam; Shaji (47) who hails from Chempazhanthi, Thiruvananthapuram; Radhakrishnan (62), a native of Kadavanthra, Ernakulam; KM Harish Kumar (29), a native of Ramavarmapuram, Thrissur; Chinna (74), a native of Thrissur who died on September 17; Thankappan Pillai (87) from Moozhi, Thiruvananthapuram; Suhara (75), a native of Palakkad who died on September 16; Sadanandan (89) from Chavara, Kollam; Vasanthayamma (78) from Prakkulam, Kollam; Sita (94) from Kanjirampara, Thiruvananthapuram; Soman (65) from Vallichira, Thiruvananthapuram; Lilavati (81) from Thrissur; Amminiamma (89), a native of Nallangara, Thrissur; Ravichandran (59), a native of Nagercoil, died on September 11; PL John, a native of Ernakulam who died on September 3; Chandran (60), a native of Kasaragod who died on September 8; and Narayani (90), a native of Kasaragod who died on August 26.

This takes the COVID toll in the state to 519. More deaths were reported but the State is yet to ascertain if they are COVID deaths. Tests are underway at National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha.