Kerala logs 32,801 new COVID-19 cases, 179 deaths

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 27 (ANI): Kerala on Friday reported 32,801 new cases over the last 24 hours with test positivity rate surging to 19.22 per cent. The upward spiral of infections has been climbing for the past three days where the state has been consistently logging over 30,000 cases.
The total active cases in the state now stand at 1,95,254, the highest in India.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George has assured that there is no need for panic.
According to the Health Department, Malappuram recorded the highest cases of 4032, followed by Thrissur 3953 and Ernakulam 3627. Meanwhile, a genome sequencing study is progressing in three districts of Kasargod, Palakkad and Idukki districts, where breakthrough infection rate was found to be higher than 5 per cent.
When Kozhikode reported 3362 cases, Kollam saw 2828 followed by Palakkad 2727, Thiruvananthapuram 2255, Alappuzha 2188, Kannur 1984, Kottayam 1877, Pathanamthitta 1288, Idukki 1125, Wayanad 961 and Kasaragod 594.
The Covid death toll in the state has crossed the 20,000 mark with 179 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total deaths now stand at 20,313. A total of 18,573 people have also recovered yesterday from COVID-19 in Kerala.
As many as 1,70,703 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. There are currently 4,98,491 people under quarantine in various districts of the state. Of these, 4,69,946 are under home, institutional quarantine and 28,545 in hospitals. A total of 3101 people were also newly admitted to the hospital.
Restrictions on Local Governments are classified on the basis of the Weekly Infection Population Ratio (WIPR). The WIPR in 353 wards of 70 local bodies were above 8, where stringent restrictions have been announced by respective district collectors.
Mewnwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has rejected the criticism for alleged mishandling of the pandemic in the state and called it "unwanted."
Responding to the criticism being bombarded his way, in an article published in Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s magazine 'Chintha' he said Kerala has reported "no death due to lack of oxygen." Moreover, "no one has been deprived of medical aid or bed."
The Chief Minister further questioned if Kerala's model is "wrong" in the containment of COVID-19, then "which model should we adopt?"Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Thursday chaired a meeting through video conferencing to review the steps taken by the state governments of Kerala and Maharashtra for checking the spread of COVID-19.
During the meeting, the overall management of the COVID-19 situation in Kerala and Maharashtra was discussed. Bhalla suggested that the state governments should explore the possibility of placing night curfew in areas of high positivity.
Kerala on Friday announced that it will continue with Sunday lockdowns. (ANI)