Kerala state clocked 32,762 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, pushing the infection count to 22,03,413, while the toll mounted to 6,724 with 112 more deaths - the highest number of casualties ever. As many as 48,413 persons have recovered, taking the total recoveries to 18,94,518, while 3,31,860 are undergoing treatment for the infection, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
In the last 24 hours,1,40,545 samples were tested and the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was 23.3 percent. So far 1,82,89,940 samples have been tested, he said. He credited the decline in cases to the weekend restrictions, night curfews and the general caution implemented before the lockdown.
Over the last two weeks, eight districts have recorded a decline of 10 to 30 percent. The lowest decline was in the Wayanad district. In the Pathanamthitta district, the prevalence of the disease is stable, he said. However, the number of cases is increasing in Kollam, Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad districts.
Notably, four major districts in Kerala, are on a seven-day triple lockdown since Monday. The majority of sub-roads are closed and police took control of the major roads in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram districts as part of efforts to arrest the massive spread of the virus infection.
Only essential services people and those travelling for meeting emergency needs are allowed to move out in all four districts. Borders are under the strict surveillance of police who could be seen returning many people while trying to travel without any valid reason in many places.
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