The daily Covid death count in Kerala crossed 100 for the first time today, with the state recording 112 deaths and 32,762 new infections over the past 24 hours.
As many as 1,40, 545 samples were tested over the past 24 hours and a test positivity rate of 23.31 per cent was recorded.
Following a surge in infections during the devastating second Covid wave in the country, the state government has announced stringent curbs to bring the situation under control.
After initially announcing a lockdown from May 8 to May 16, the state government extended it to May 23. The worst-hit districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Malappuram have been placed under a "triple lockdown", meaning tighter restrictions.
Asserting that the restrictions will help flatten the curve, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently urged people not to lower their guard.
"Daily average of #COVID19 +ve cases from 1 to 8 May was 37, 144. Down to 35,919 in the last week. 10% - 30% decrease in 8 districts. Active cases down from 4,45,000 to 3,62,315. Lockdown will bear fruit. Let us continue to be cautious. We shall overcome!," he tweeted on Monday.
Despite reporting the country's first coronavirus infection in January 30 last year and over 22 lakh positive cases since, the state had so far been able to keep the daily fatalities low. The state has so far recorded a total of 6,724 Covid deaths.
But over the past few days, the daily death count has constantly hovered around 100, with the state recording over 90 deaths on five days last week.
