Kerala logs 5,405 new COVID-19 cases, 403 deaths

Kerala on Wednesday recorded 5,405 fresh COVID-19 cases and 403 deaths, raising the caseload to 51,35,390 and the toll to 40,535 respectively, the State government said.

Of the 403 deaths, 96 were reported over the last few days and 307 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 4,538 more people recovering from the virus since Tuesday, the total recoveries reached 50,61,906 and the active cases 44,124, the release said.

As many as 64,191 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, it said.

Among the 14 districts, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest with 988 fresh cases followed by Ernakulam (822) and Kozhikode (587).

Of the new cases, 38 were health workers, 14 from outside the State and 5,093 infected through contact with the source of it not being clear in 260.

There are currently 1,50,435 people under surveillance in various districts, of whom 1,45,733 are in home or institutional quarantine and 4,702 in hospitals, the release said.