Thiruvananthapuram: With three more UK returnees to Kerala testing positive for the new variant of COVID-19, nine persons have so far been infected with the strain in the state, Health Minister KK Shailaja said Thursday. Two of three UK returnees are from Kannur district and one from Pathanamthitta district, the Minister said in a press release.
Kerala reported 5,490 COVID-19 cases while 4,337 have been cured of the infection, taking the total caseload to 8,31,259 and recoveries to7,61,154 in the state. The active cases touched 66,503. The minister said in the last 24 hours, 67,712 samples have been tested and the test positivity rate has touched 8.11 per cent. So far, 86,88,585 samples have been sent for testing.
Among the districts, Malappuram recorded 712 cases, Ernakulam 659, Kozhikode 582 and Pathanamthitta 579.
The death toll has climbed to 3,392 with 19 more deaths being added to the tally in the last 24 hours. Of the positive cases, 52 are health workers, 92 had come from outside the state and 4,911 were infected through contact. At least 2,01,293 people are under observation in various districts, including 10,904 in hospitals, the release said.
