Kerala reports 1,547 new COVID-19 cases

Kerala on Wednesday reported 1,547 new COVID-19 cases, said state health minister KK Shailaja.

"As many as 1,547 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state today. 1,419 of those diagnosed today were infected through contact and the source was not traceable in 156 cases. 21 of them have come back from foreign countries and 65 from other states. 36 healthcare workers were also infected," Shailaja said.

"At the same time, 2,129 patients under treatment for the disease have recovered and were discharged from hospitals today. This is the second consecutive day when the number of recovered patients is more than the number of new active cases," she added.

The Health Minister informed that seven people succumbed to COVID-19 today, taking the toll to 305.

The district-wise figures for the positive cases are 228 in Thiruvananthapuram, 204 in Kozhikode, 159 in Alappuzha, 146 in Malappuram, 145 in Kottayam, 142 in Kannur, 136 in Ernakulam.

So far, 55,782 persons have been cured of COVID in the state, while 21,923 patients are still undergoing treatment.

"23,850 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. Till now, a total of 17,24,658 samples have been sent for testing, including 1,79,862 samples from high exposure groups as part of Sentinel Surveillance. We have declared 13 new hotspots today while 17 places have been exempted. There are presently 577 hotspots in Kerala," she said.

( With inputs from ANI )