Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (IANS): Kerala on Friday reported 4,991 fresh Covid-19 infections and 23 deaths due to the disease, taking the caseload to 65,054 and the number of fatalities to 3,095, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

The state's test positivity rate stands at 9.45 per cent.

Of the positive cases on Friday, 94 people had come from outside the state and 4,413 were infected through contact, said the Chief Minister.

Ernakulam has the maximum of 553 infections, while Kasaargod has the least number of 68 cases.

59 health workers tested Covid positive on Friday with 12 cases in Kannur, Pathanamthitta 9, Ernakulam and Kozhikode 6 each, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur ,Malappuram 5 each, Wayand 4 , Kollam 3, Alappuzha, Idukki, Palakkad and Kasargod has 1 each.

As many as 2,43,828 people are under observation in various parts of the state, 2,31,831 under home/institutional quarantine and 11,997 admitted to hospitals, said Vijayan.

Parapookara and Mezhuveli in Thrissur and Pathanamthitta districts respectively are the new designated hotspots, taking the number to 456 in the state.