Of the 3,215 COVID-19 cases reported in Kerala on Tuesday, 3,013 were infected through contact while 2.08 lakh people are under observation in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

With the addition of the new cases, the infection count has surged to 1,14,033 while the death toll has climbed to 466 with 12 fatalities.

Of late, there are reports of casual approach towards the pandemic from various quarters, Pinarayi told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

As many as 5,901 people were found not wearing masks today (on Tuesday) and cases were registered against nine persons for violating quarantine protocol, he said.

The samples of 2,532 people returned negative today, and 31,156 are presently under treatment. At least 82,345 people have recovered from the infection so far.

Of the 3,013, who were infected through contact, the source of infection of 313 is not yet known.

In the capital district, of the 656 new cases, 626 were through contact.

Eighty-nine health workers, 31 of them from Kannur alone, were among the infected.

Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest jump in positive cases-- 656, while Malappuram accounted for 348, Alappuzha 338, Kozhikode 260, Ernakulam 239, Kollam 234 and Kannur 213.

The hilly district of Idukki reported 29 cases, the least and Wayanad 64.

Twelve recent deaths were confirmed to be due to COVID, raising the toll to 466, Pinarayi said.

Of the fresh positive cases, 43 had come from abroad and 70 from other states.

Pinarayi said 2,08,141 people are presently under observation in various districts and 22,627 are in hospitals, including 2324 admitted today.

In the last 24 hours, 41,054 samples have been tested and so far 21,98,858 have been sent for testing.

A total of 10,05,211 people have returned to the state, including 6,24,826 (62.16%) from other states.