Notwithstanding the strict measures implemented by authorities, the number of COVID-19 cases in the district continued to spiral at an alarming rate with 88 persons testing positive for SARS-CoV- 2 on Friday.
The disease also claimed two more lives in the district, taking the number of COVID-19 fatalities here to 16. Those who succumbed to the virus during the day were a 63-year-old and 79-year-old, both natives of Thiruvalla.
Of the fresh cases, 69 contracted the virus through local contact while 12 cases had landed from abroad. The remaining seven cases came from other States.
With 18 cases, Kadakkadu cluster led the tally, followed by the Kadambanad cluster with 10 cases. Meanwhile, the contact source of at least five patients was yet to be identified.
With 89 recoveries, the number of active cases in the district stood at 911.