Kerala reported 496 new COVID-19 cases and 141 virus-related deaths on Saturday taking the total number of people affected in the state to 65,30,690 and the death toll to 67,772, respectively.
Of the 141 deaths, three occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 138 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.
"Currently, there are 4,051 active COVID-19 cases in the state out of which only 12 per cent are admitted to hospitals," the state health department said in a release. It said the state has tested 16,883 samples in the last 24 hours.
Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of cases -- 138, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 70 cases and Kottayam with 56 cases.
Meanwhile, 693 people recuperated from the disease on Saturday taking the total cured in the state to 64,57,993.
Among those who were found infected today, three persons reached the state from outside while 462 contracted the disease from their contacts. The sources of infection of 26 are yet to be ascertained. Five health workers are also among the infected.
There are 14,838 people under observation in the state out of whom 426 are in isolation wards of various hospitals across Kerala.
