Kerala COVID cases cross 10K-mark after record 73K tests on Wednesday

Kerala recorded its highest single-day spike of 10,606 COVID cases on Wednesday. With this, the number of active cases in the state rises to 92,161. The state also recorded 6161 recoveries, the highest so far.

The surge in cases (and recoveries) had come on the back of a record testing done in the state. A total of 73,816 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.

Four districts namely Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram posted COVID numbers past the 1000-mark while Thrissur and Kollam continued its worrying trend of increasing COVID cases.

Of the new cases, 9,542 contracted the virus through contact, a clear indicator that local transmission of the virus continues unabated in the state. The contact source of 741 remaining unknown is also a cause for concern. The remaining cases are of those who came from abroad (55) and from other states (164).

98 more healthcare workers infected

Ninety-eight healthcare workers too contracted the virus through contact.

They include 20 each from Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, 12 from Malappuram, 11 from Kannur, 10 from Kasaragod, 9 from Pathanamthitta, 7 from Thrissur, 5 from Kollam, and 2 each from Palakkad and Wayanad. Six INHS workers in Ernakulam too tested positive for the virus.

22 more COVID deaths

Twenty-two COVID deaths were reported in the state. Though more deaths were reported, the State is yet to ascertain them as COVID deaths. Tests are underway at National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha.

With this, COVID death toll in the state now stands at 906.

Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:

Kozhikode - 1,576 (1,488 contact cases)

Malappuram - 1,350 (1,224)

Ernakulam - 1,201 (1,013)

Thiruvananthapuram - 1,182 (1,155)

Thrissur - 948 (931)

Kollam - 852 (847)

Alappuzha - 672 (667)

Palakkad - 650 (372)

Kannur - 602 (475)

Kottayam - 490 (489)

Kasaragod - 432 (407)

Pathanamthitta - 393 (271)

Wayanad - 138 (131)

Idukki - 120 (72)

Recoveries

The state also recorded 6161 recoveries, the highest so far.

So far, 1,60,253 have recovered from the virus in the state.

Here's the district-wise break-up of today's recoveries:

Thiruvananthapuram - 820

Kollam - 346

Pathanamthitta - 222

Alappuzha - 393

Kottayam - 453

Idukki - 89

Ernakulam - 385

Thrissur - 320

Palakkad - 337

Malappuram - 743

Kozhikode - 589

Wayanad - 103

Kannur -1,188

Kasaragod - 173

Testing and quarantine

There are currently 2,67,834 people under observation across the state. Of them, 2,38,331 are under home or institutional quarantine while 29,503 are in hospitals. A total of 2,922 people were admitted in hospitals.

During the last 24 hours, 73,816 samples were tested. A total of 33,40,242 samples have so far been sent for testing, including routine samples, Airport Surveillance, Pooled Sentinel, CBNAT, TRUnat, CLIA and Antigen Assay.

In addition, as part of Sentinel Surveillance, 2,10,648 samples were sent for testing from priority groups, including health workers, guest workers, and individuals with greater social contact.

Hotspots and clusters

There are currently 197 active COVID clusters in the state. Thrissur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram top the list with 43, 37 and 28 clusters respectively. Of the active clusters, 104 clusters have seen a decline in transmission in recent days.

Fourteen new regions were designated as hotspots in Kerala on Wednesday while 12 regions were excluded from the list.

There are currently 720 hotspots in the state.