Kerala posts 4,700 new COVID-19 cases, 320 deaths

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Thursday recorded 4,700 fresh COVID-19 cases and 320 deaths, raising the caseload to 51,40,090 and the toll to 40,855 respectively, the State government said.

Of the 320 deaths, 66 were reported over the last few days and 254 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, an official press release said.

With 4,128 more people recovering from the virus since Wednesday, the total recoveries reached 50,66,034 and the active cases 44,376, the release said.

As many as 59,702 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, it said.

Among the 14 districts, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest with 850 fresh cases followed by Ernakulam 794 and Kozhikode 612.

Of the new cases, 40 were health workers, 18 from outside the State and 4,437 infected through contact with the source of it not being clear in 205.

There are currently 1,55,639 people under surveillance in various districts, of whom 1,50,837 are in home or institutional quarantine and 4,802 in hospitals, the release said.