Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 19 (IANS): On the eve of Onam, Kerala on Thursday saw its daily test positivity rate reach 16.15 per cent, with 21,116 people turning positive after 1,30,768 samples were sent for testing in the past 24 hours.

The figures were announces in a statement from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who has gone off the radar ever since Covid began peaking in Kerala, which logged over 50 per cent of the daily new cases in the country.

Not long ago, Vijayan used to appear on a daily basis before the media to stress how the state is leading from the front in tackling Covid but ever since things went haywire, he gives out the daily Covid figures through a statement.

On Thursday, 19,296 people turned negative taking the total number of active cases in the state to 1,79,303.

A new high of 197 Covid deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 19,246.

Starting Friday, Kerala will be celebrating Onam and the main day, Thiru Onam, is on Saturday and with Covid raging, all forms of celebrations have been banned and all have been asked to remain indoors.