COVID-19: Kerala contributes 52% of total active cases in country, 15,914 fresh infections recorded today

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's COVID-19 case graph sees no significant decline with 15,914 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours when 1,03,871 samples were tested. The test positivity rate also went up to 15.32 per cent.

Kerala accounts for 52 per cent of the cumulative active COVID-19 cases in the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Thursday.

Addressing a press briefing on COVID-19, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the number of cases is declining in Kerala but the state still contributes a substantial number of total cases in the country.

The statement from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 16,758 people turned negative, while the total number of active cases was 1,42,529, out of which 12 per cent patients are in hospitals.

Another 122 Covid deaths were reported, taking the total death toll to 25,087.

Vijayan government's target of completing the first dose vaccination to all above 18 years on Thursday failed to materialise as by now only 92.4 per cent (2.46 crore) have been inoculated, of which 40.8 per cent (1.09 crore) have got both the doses.

Meanwhile even as cases continue to rise, all final year students in colleges will return to classrooms on October 4, while school students will return to classes on November 1.