Kerala reported 25,010 new Covid cases and 177 deaths in past 24 hours, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed on Friday. The number of active cases in the state has now gone up to 2,37,643. The positivity rate is 16.53%. 

On Thursday, the southern state had recorded 26,200 new cases and 144 deaths. In the previous two days, the state had registered over 30,000 cases, highest by any state in the country.

The Health Ministry on Thursday said that nearly 68% of total Covid cases in the last 7 days were from Kerala. During a press briefing in Delhi, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday said that 43,263 cases were reported in last 24 hours, over 32,000 were from Kerala.

“Almost 68% of total cases in last week from Kerala. Overall declining trend is a little less than 50% which was there in 1st wave. We are are still witnessing second surge, it's not over," Bhushan said.

Today, the state government said that 1,51,317 samples were tested in the last 24 hours and the test positivity rate was 16.53%.  

Thrissur reported the highest number of new Covid cases (3,226), followed by Ernakulam with 3,034 and Malappuram 2,606. There are 2,37,643 active cases and of that only 12.9% have been hospitalised. 

Of those found infected on Friday, 102 reached the state from outside while 23,791 contracted the disease from their contact. The source of infection of 1,012 persons is yet to be traced and 105 health workers are also among the infected. 

Meanwhile, 23,535 persons recovered from the infection, taking the total cured to 40,74,200. There were 4,108 wards in 794 local self government bodies with a weekly infection population ratio above 7%.