Kerala records 18,123 new coronavirus infections, 158 fatalities

The number of daily COVID-19 cases continued to rise unabated in Kerala with the state reporting 18,123 fresh infections on Sunday taking the total positives to 53,69,706.

The toll in the state touched 50,832 with 158 related deaths, the health department said.

Among today's deaths, eight were recorded over the last few days and 150 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 1,03,864 active COVID-19 cases in the state out of which only 4 per cent require hospitalisation," the state government said in a release.

Among the districts, Thiruvananthapuram recorded 3,917 cases, the highest in the state, followed by Ernakulam with 3,204 cases and Thrissur with 1,700 cases.

The state had tested 59,314 samples in the last 24 hours.

Out of those found infected, 113 reached the state from outside while 17,627 contracted the disease from their contacts. The source of infection of 234 is yet to be traced.

Meanwhile, 4,749 persons recuperated from the disease on Sunday taking the total recoveries in the state to 53,23,430.