THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala continued to record steep rise in COVID-19 cases with 45,136 new positive cases being reported on Saturday, taking the tally to 55,74,702.
Kerala had on Friday logged 41,668 fresh coronavirus cases, a day after registering 46,387 cases on Thursday, the highest single day spike since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
The health department said the state had tested 1,00735 samples in the last 24 hours and there are 2,47,227 active COVID-19 cases in Kerala.
Meanwhile, 21,324 persons recuperated from the disease on Saturday, taking the total cured to 52,97,971.
Kerala registered 132 deaths today, taking the death toll to 51,739.
Among today's fatalities, 70 were recorded over the last few days while 62 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.
"Of the total active cases, only three per cent of the patients are admitted to hospitals," the health department said in a release.
Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of new infections on Saturday--8,143, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 7,430 and Thrissur 5,120.
There are 3,85,516 persons under observation of which 8,430 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.
Among those who were found infected today, the health department said 128 reached the state from outside while 42,340 contracted the disease from their contact.
The source of infection of 2,225 is yet to be traced and 443 health workers are also among the infected.