Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's COVID-19 case count reached 1,48,132 on Wednesday, with the state reporting 5,376 fresh cases. The state also registered 2,951 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
This is the first time the state reporting over 5,000 COVID-19 cases in a single day.
So far, 1,04,682 people recovered from the disease, while 42,786 patients are still under treatment in various hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed.
In the last 24 hours, 51,200 samples have been tested, he said.
Local transmission of COVID-19 continues unabated as 4,426 of the newly reported cases contracted the virus through contact. Of this, the infection sources of 640 are unknown.
Apart from this, 99 healthcare workers also contracted the virus. Of them, 25 people are from Thiruvananthapuram, 19 from Kannur, 17 from Ernakulam, 15 from Malappuram, 12 from Thrissur, three each from Kollam and Kasaragod, two from Alappuzha, one each from Pathanamthitta, Palakkad and Wayanad districts.
Of the new positive cases, 64 people came from foreign countries, while 140 came from other states.
District-wise break-up of today's positive cases:
Thiruvananthapuram – 852 (contact cases: 822)
Ernakulam – 624 (587)
Malappuram – 512 (485)
Kozhikode – 504 (495)
Kollam – 503 (495)
Alappuzha – 501 (450)
Thrissur – 478 (465)
Kannur – 365 (323)
Palakkad – 278 (271)
Kottayam – 262 (256)
Pathanamthitta – 223 (174)
Kasaragod – 136 (125)
Idukki – 79 (61)
Wayanad – 59 (55)
District-wise break-up of recoveries:
Thiruvananthapuram – 321
Kozhikode – 427
Malappuram – 372
Kasaragod – 302
Kottayam – 275
Ernakulam – 254
Thrissur – 180
Alappuzha – 167
Kollam – 152
Palakkad – 150
Kannur – 142
Pathanamthitta – 127
Idukki – 55
Wayanad – 27
The chief minister also confirmed 20 more deaths on Wednesday. The official death toll now stands at 592.
The deceased have been identified as Rajesh (37) of Ayur in Kollam who died on August 22; Pauloson (68) of Puthukurichi in Thiruvananthapuram who died on August 27; Saleela (49) of Peroorkada in Thiruvananthpuram who died on Auugust 29; Mythili (85) of Vadakara in Kozhikode who died on September 3; Sulfath (57) of Thattamala in Kollam who died on September 8; Irshad Babu (40) from Kozikode who died on September 9; P Srimathi (85) of Bepur in Kozhikode who died on September 11; Moosa Koya (83) of Parappail in Kozhikode who died on September 14; Nafisa (78) of Panthirankavu in Kozhikode who died on September 15; Abdulla (74) of Madasseri in Kozhikode who died on September 15; Mehmood (70) of Vadakara in Kozhikode who died on September 16; A P Raveendran (84) of Muttangal West of Kozhikode who died on September 17; Muhammad (68) of Puthuppadi in Kozhikode who died on September 17; Koran (68) of Pilassery in Kozhikode; Moothoran (86) of Kattipara in Kozhikode; Mohanan (64) of Peyad in Thiruvananthapuram who died on September 18; Aishabi (81) from Kozhikode who died on September 19; Shanmugan (71) of Padavanad in Malappuram, Susamma Raju (62) of Pooyappilly in Kollam who died on September 20; Abdul Salam (45) of Kottakal in Malappuram who died on September 21.
Testing and quarantine
In the last 24 hours, 51,200 samples have been tested, the state health department said in a statement.
In total, 25,45,385 samples (including routine, airport surveillance, pooled sentinel, CBNAAT, TrueNAT, CLIA and antigen assay) were sent for testing. As many as 1,98,189 samples also collected as part of sentinel surveillance.
Of the 2,12,629 people under observation for suspected infection, 1,86,140 are home/institutional quarantined and 26,489 hospitalised. As many as 3131 people were hospitalised since Tuesday.
Seventeen new places were designated as hotspots on Wednesday, while 15 regions were excluded from the list. The state presently has 641 hotspots.
Key points from CM's press meet:
• Asymptomatic patients can be treated at home. They need not be shifted to CFLTCs. They should strictly follow health department's directions.
• The chief minister for the second time blamed the opposition parties' protests across the state for the spike in number of positive cases. Many of the protesters have been infected with the coronavirus. These protests will not do any good for the state. It will only help spread of the virus.
• More youngsters are testing positive in the state. The COVID-19 death rate among Kerala youth is just 0.1%. However, overconfidence may cause adverse results, the chief minister warned.
• 10 firemen at Attingal Fire and Rescue Station tested positive on Wednesday.