<span style="color: #222222;">Kerala witnessed a slight dip in the COVID-19 infection figures as it confirmed 13,383 new cases today.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The test positivity rate is 15.63 per cent at present.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Over  85,650 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">90 deaths were also confirmed due to COVID today taking the total death toll to 19,584.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Bringing respite, 21,942 people recovered from the Corona virus infection. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">At present, a total of  1,54,563 infected people are undergoing treatment in the state.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the health department will be convened tomorrow to assess the state's COVID situation.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">State Health Minister Veena George said that the state needs to be extra vigilant with respect to the spread of COVID infection for the next four weeks.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Many areas are at high risk for contracting the heavily contagious Delta virus.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The threat of an imminent third wave also prevails.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Hence, the minister directed that, when opening institutions and offices after Onam, everyone should be extremely careful and all the necessary precautions must be strictly taken.</span><br />''  <br />