Kerala's total caseload racing towards 10 lakh mark with another 5k plus new cases

Kerala's COVID-19caseload is racing towards the ten lakh mark with over 5,300people, including a UK returnee, testing positive, the stategovernment said on Friday.

While 5,397 fresh cases were added, as many as 5,332recovered in the last 24 hours ending 2 PM on Friday and63,961 people were under treatment for the infection. The cumulative case load soared to 9,94,052 while thetotal recoveries touched 9,25,871, Health Minister K KShailaja said in a press release.

A total of 74,408 samples were tested during the periodand the test positivity rate was 7.25 per cent.

So far, 1,04,40,267 samples have been sent fortesting, the release said.

Six districts reported over 500 cases each, withErnakulam recording the highest of 589.

With a UK returnee among the fresh cases, the number ofCOVID-19 positive among people who came from Britain rose to82.

Ten people have been detected with the mutatedvariant of the virus.

The toll rose to 3,954 with 18 additional fatalities.

Of the new positive cases, as many as 30 were healthworkers, 74 came from outside the state and 4,980infected through contact.

At least 2,41,362 people were under observation invarious districts with 10,420 of them in hospitals.