Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 19 (IANS): Going by the figures, there seems to be a decline in the new Covid cases in Kerala as 7,643 people turned positive after 82,408 samples were tested in the past 24 hours. The test positivity rate was 9.27 per cent, said a statement from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

For several weeks in the past, 50 per cent of the daily new cases in the country were recorded in Kerala, which the social media had taken up in a big way and slammed the Kerala government, which was once lauded for the Kerala model of Covid control.

The statement from Vijayan also pointed out that 10,488 people turned negative, while the total active cases in the state were 80,262, of which 10.4 per cent were in hospitals.

On Tuesday, 77 Covid deaths were reported taking the death toll to 27,002.

On the vaccination front 94 per cent (2.51 crores) of the state's population above 18 years have received one dose of the vaccine, of which 46.2 per cent (1.23 crores) have by now received both the doses.