THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister K. K. Shailaja said that 11 new COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in Kerala on Sunday.

Out of the 11 new cases, 6 are from Idukki and 5 are from Kottayam district, a press release from the Health Minister’s office said.

Out of the 6 new patients in Idukki, one is a foreign returnee (from Spain) while two others had returned from Tamil Nadu. The other 3 developed the disease through contact. One of them is a doctor.

Of the patients in Kottayam, one had returned from outside the state while the remaining 4 contracted the disease through contact. Two among them are health workers.

Four persons recovered from the disease on Sunday- one each from Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod. With this, 342 have been cured of COVID-19 in the state. 123 persons are under treatment for COVID-19 at various hospitals across the state.

As of Sunday, 20,127 persons are under observation in the state including 462 at hospitals.

On Sunday, 99 persons were admitted to hospitals. So far 22,954 samples of symptomatic persons have been sent for testing. Of this 21,997 have returned negative, the release added.

Three new hotspots have been declared in the state-Chathannoor and Sasthamkotta in Kollam and Manarcad in Kottayam district. With this, the total number of hotspots in the state increased to 87.