6,960 new COVID-19 cases take up Kerala's tally to 72,048; death toll 3,587

Kerala recorded 6,960 new COVID-19 cases, including a UK returnee, on Saturday, while the active cases touched 72,048, the government said.

The toll has gone up to 3,587 with the addition of 23 fatalities.

Health minister K K Shailaja said 5,283 people have been cured of the infection, taking the total caseload to 8,83,540 and recoveries to 8,08,377.

In the last 24 hours,61,066 samples were sent for testing and the test positivity rate has soared to 11.40 per cent,she said in a release.So far 92,10,023 samples have been sent for testing.At least 2,11,824 people are presently under observation, including 11,935 in various hospitals, according to the release.

Ernakulam today accounted for 1083 new cases, Kozhikode 814, Kottayam 702 and Kollam 684.A person, who had returned from the UK in the last 24 hours, has tested positive for the virus.With this, 69 people who had returned from the UK have tested positive and 45 have recovered.At least 10 people have tested positive for the new strain.

Of the positive cases, 49 are health workers, 73 had come from outside the state and 6,339 had contracted the infection through local transmission.