Kerala records over 30k Covid cases for second consecutive day

 Currently 4,87,246 people are under surveillance in various districts. Of these, 4,59,821 are in home or institutional quarantine and 27,425 in hospitals in the state

In the last 24 hours, 1,66,397 samples were tested and the TPR was found to be 18.03 per cent. So far, 3.07 crore samples have been tested.: File Picture

TT Bureau, PTI   |   Thiruvananthapuram   |   26.08.21: Kerala posted 30,007 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the second consecutive day it reported more than 30,000, and 162 deaths which pushed the total infection count in the state to 39.13 lakh and the toll to 20,134.

According to the central government, 58.4 per cent of the total Covid-19 cases last week were reported from Kerala.

On Wednesday, the state recorded 31,445 fresh cases, which was 68.11 per cent of the national total -- 46,164 -- of new infections in the last 24 hours.

As many as 18,997 people have been cured of the infection since Wednesday, taking the total recoveries to 37,11,625 and the number of active cases to 1,81,209, a state government release said.

In the last 24 hours, 1,66,397 samples were tested and the TPR was found to be 18.03 per cent. So far, 3.07 crore samples have been tested, it said.

Among districts of the state, Ernakulam continued to record the highest numbers with 3,872 followed by Kozhikode 3,461, Thrissur 3,157, Malappuram 2,985, Kollam 2,619, Palakkad 2,261, Thiruvananthapuram 1,996, Kottayam 1,992, Kannur 1,939, Alappuzha 1,741, Pathanamthitta 1,380, Wayanad 1,161 and Idukki 900.

Of the new cases, 104 were health workers, 128 from outside the state and 28,650 infected through contact with the source of the contact not being clear in 1,195 cases, the release said.

There are currently 4,87,246 people under surveillance in various districts. Of these, 4,59,821 are in home or institutional quarantine and 27,425 in hospitals.

Meanwhile, the home secretary reviewed the COVID-19 situation and the steps taken to contain the spread of the virus in the southern state and gave a number of suggestions, a home ministry official said.

The meeting in which Bhalla took stock of the situation in Kerala also discussed issues related to containment strategy and medical infrastructure, the official added.

Several top officials of the Centre and the state government attended the meeting, which was held through a video-conference.

A central team, which visited Kerala recently, had also flagged issues relating to the containment strategy adopted by the state, another official said.

According to official data, Kerala is the only state in the country reporting over one lakh active Covid-19 cases, while four states have active cases in the range of 10,000 to one lakh and 31 have less than 10,000 active cases of the infection.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who visited Kerala on August 16, announced a special package of Rs 267.35 crore for the southern state to strengthen its health infrastructure.

During his visit, Mandaviya had a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Health Minister Veena George and officials.

He also announced that the Centre would provide all possible help to the state.

Besides, it was promised that an amount of Rs 1 crore would be made available to each district in Kerala to create a pool of medicines.