Kerala continues to report over 20,000 Covid-19 cases
State accounted for almost 50 per cent of daily cases in the country; Situation remains grim
Kerala on Friday reported 20,772 cases of Covid-19 taking the total number of active cases in the state to 1,60,824.
The state had accounted for almost 50 per cent of the daily Covid cases in the country on Thursday and the situation continues to remain the same.
During the last 24 hours, 1,52,639 samples were tested and the test positivity rate stood at 13.61. As many as 14,651 people recovered from the infection.
Of the new cases, 19,622 contracted the virus through contact while 133 came from outside the state, 81 health care workers also contracted the infection.
Malappuram, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts reported the highest number of new cases — 3,670, 2,470, 2,306, 2,287 and 2,070 respectively.
The state also reported 116 deaths taking the toll to 16,701.
At present, 4.56 lakh people are under observation across the state including 4.29 lakh under home/ institutional quarantine.
The state is witnessing a huge spike in cases. As per the survey carried out by the ICMR in various states between June 14 and July 16, Kerala had the lowest seroprevalence rate at 44.4 percent.
The national figure was 67.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has announced `5,650 crore stimulus for small traders, industry and agriculture sectors which have been severely affected by Covid pandemic.
Finance minister K.N. Balagopal announced the stimulus here on Friday. The package includes subsidised loans and interest reliefs.
He announced 4 per cent interest subsidy for loans up to `2 lakh taken from banks.
The benefits announced by government would be effective for six month period beginning from August 1.
The package is aimed to provide relief to over 1 lakh people.
Other reliefs announced include writing off rent of commercial space leased out for five months from July to December, micro, small and medium business units exempted from paying building tax for the five month period from July to December.