Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 18 (PTI) Kerala on Friday recorded 847 new coronavirus cases and 59 virus-related deaths taking the total number of people affected in the state to 65,25,879 and the death toll to 67,197.

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The state had tested 22,683 samples in the last 24 hours, the state health department said.

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Of the deaths, three were reported in the last 24 hours, 12 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 44 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the health department said in a release.

Among the districts, Ernakulam recorded the highest number of cases on Friday -- 165, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 117 cases and Kottayam with 94 cases.

"Currently, there are 6,464 active COVID-19 cases in the state out of which only 10.5 per cent are admitted to hospitals," the release said.

There are 20,756 persons under observation in the state out of which 740 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.

Out of those found infected on Friday, three reached the state from outside while 800 persons contracted the disease through their contacts. The sources of infection of 30 are yet to be traced. Fourteen health workers are also among the infected.

The health department said a total of 1,321 people recuperated from the disease on Friday taking the total cured in the state to 64,51,349.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)