Covid-19 cases have risen at an alarming pace in Kerala in the last few days. The state reported over 20,000 infections for the fourth straight day on Friday.
Kerala reported 20,772 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours. The state's test positivity rate rose to 13.61 per cent.
Up to 116 people died of Covid in the 24 hour period.
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Of the new infections, 81 are health workers, 137 are those from outside Kerala, and 19,622 infected through contact. Government mentioned in its release that the source of infection in up to 932 cases could not be determined.
Malappuram, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam are some of the worst hit districts.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George noted that the state's Covid numbers are not unexpected and added a similar trend was seen in the first wave too. George has termed the phenomenon as "dragging the wave".