Kerala reported 17,821 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, when 87,331 samples were tested in 24 hours. The reduction in new cases is a reflection of the dip in testing over the weekend.
The test positivity rate (TPR) which had averaged at 22.6% over the past three days registered 20.41% on Monday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the lockdown was certainly helping the State in bringing down disease transmission and that the active case pool, which had registered over 4.45 lakh cases 10 days ago, now had only 2,59,179 cases.
However, hospitalisations are rising. If 10 days ago, about 9% of the patients used to reach hospitals, it has risen to 14% now. Despite the reduction in new cases, hospitals continue to be stressed. It is expected that hospitalisations and deaths will continue to rise for another two weeks before they show a decline.
On Monday, 3,248 persons were newly admitted to hospitals. The number of hospitalisations has remained more or less steady even as the active case pool declined and as on Monday, 38,914 persons are being treated for moderate or severe COVID-19 in hospitals in the State.
196 deaths
COVID-19 deaths rose again and on Monday, the State added 196 recent deaths to the official list, taking the cumulative COVID fatalities in the State to 7,554.
The number of recoveries reported on Monday was 36,039.
Total ICU admissions of critically ill COVID-19 patients in the State is 3,938, while the number of those on ventilator support is 1,502.
In Thiruvananthapuram district, the active case pool declined to 18,012 but hospitalisations are at the highest, with 6,187 persons with moderate or serious COVID-19 undergoing treatment in various hospitals. On Monday alone, 663 COVID-19 patients got admitted to hospitals.
The cumulative case burden of the State stands at 23,65,787 cases.
Capital tops
Among districts, Thiruvananthapuram reported the highest number of new cases with 2,570, Malappuram 2,533, Palakkad 1,898, Ernakulam 1,885, Kollam 1,494, Thrissur 1,430, Alappuzha 1,272, Kozhikode 1,256, Kottayam 1,090, Kannur 947, Idukki 511, Kasaragod 444, Pathanamthitta 333 and Wayanad 486 cases.
