Kerala reports 20,728 new Covid-19 cases

Kochi: Kerala continued to report a surge in COVID cases as the State confirmed 20,728 new positive cases yesterday. The test positivity rate in the State stands at 12.14  per cent at present. Over one lakh 70,000 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.

56 deaths were confirmed due to COVID-19 yesterday taking the total death toll to 16,837.  17,792 people recovered from the Coronavirus infection. At present, a total of one lakh 67,379 people are undergoing COVID treatment in the state.

Meanwhile, the Central team deployed to assess the covid situation in the State will hold discussions with top officials in Thiruvananthapuram



tomorrow. Today, the team visited Covid treatment centers at Kozhikode and Pathanamthitta districts and took stock of the situation. 

The  team of health experts led by Director at the National Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Sujeet Singh, recommended that the number of covid testings should be increased along with stringent restrictions backed by scientific measures be put in place.

Meanwhile, the full weekend lockdown restrictions continued in the state yesterday as well in view of the rising COVID cases. Only essential services were allowed to function throughout the state.