Kerala reports 2,543 new COVID-19 cases: KK Shailaja

As many as 2,543 new active cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Kerala, according to Health Minister KK Shailaja on Friday, taking total active cases in the state to 23,111.

At the same time, 2,097 patients under treatment for the disease have recovered and were discharged from hospitals today.

Of those diagnosed today, 2,260 were cases of local transmission and the contact source in 229 was unknown. In this, 75 are returnees from abroad and 156, from other states. As many as 52 healthcare workers were also infected by a coronavirus.

After confirming seven deaths today, the death toll rises to 274.

The district-wise figures for the new positive cases are 532 in Thiruvananthapuram district, 298 from Malappuram district, 286 in Alappuzha district, 207 from Ernakulam district, 189 in Thrissur district, 174 from Kozhikode district, 157 in Kasaragod district, 156 from Kollam district, 135 in Kannur district, 127 from Palakkad district, 126 in Kottayam district, 88 from Pathanamthitta district, 49 in Idukki district and 19 from Wayanad district.

So far, 45,858 persons have been cured of COVID and at present, 23,111 patients are still undergoing treatment. There are a total of 1,94,431 people under observation in various districts of the state, 1,75,306 in home or institutional quarantine and 19,125 in hospitals. While 2,541 people were admitted to the hospital today.

"In the last 24 hours, 41,860 samples were tested. Till now, a total of 16,08,013 samples have been sent for testing, including 1,75,094 samples from high priority groups as part of Sentinel Surveillance, " said the Health Minister.

Today, 30 new places were demarcated as hotspots, taking the count to 599 while 34 were excluded.

( With inputs from ANI )