Thiruvnanthapuram, jan 18 (PTI): Kerala recorded 3,346 COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the caseload to the 8.50 lakh mark as the toll mounted to 3480 with 17 more fatalities.

As many as 3921 people have been cured, pushingthe total recoveries to 7,79,097.

Presently, 68,399 people are undergoing treatment for the infection, Health minister K K Shailaja said in a press release.

The total number of cases now is 8,50,597.

In the last 24 hours, 33,093 samples were tested and the test positivity rate has touched 10.11 per cent.

So far, 89,54,140 samples have been sent for testing.

Ernakulam accounted for the maximum of 574 cases, Kozhikode 385, Malappuram 357, Kollam 322 and Kottayam 308.

None of the returnees from the UK tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the minister said.

So far, 56 people who have returned from that country have been infected by the virus and nine for the new variant.

Of the positive cases, 52 are health workers, 42 came from outside the state and 2,965 were infected through contact.

At least 1,98,681 people are presently under observation, including 11,105in hospitals. PTI

(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)