Kerala reports over 16K new Covid cases

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 14 (IANS) Kerala on Friday reported over 16,000 fresh Covid-19 cases, with a total of 16,338 people testing positive for the coronavirus in the southern state, officials said.Meanwhile, the Covid death toll in Kerala rose to 50,568 after 20 more people died of the lethal virus.A statement from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 68,971 samples were tested for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. The daily Test Positivity Rate has touched 23.69 per cent on Friday.Thiruvananthapuram district continues to record the highest daily cases followed by Ernakulam, both clocking over 3,000 cases.There are a total of 76,819 active cases in the state.Meanwhile, amid the spike in the number of Covid cases, a record 75,000 pilgrims at the popular Sabarimala temple watched the Makara Jyothi (celestial light) which appears on the horizon late on Friday evening.
--IANS sg/pgh

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