Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18 (PTI) Kerala saw a dip in fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday with the state reporting 19,352 infections, and 143 deaths, taking the total affected in the state to 44,88,840 and the toll to 23,439. The state had reported 23,260 cases on Friday. The number of recoveries outnumbered fresh cases with 27,266 being cured, taking the total number to 42,83,963. Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of cases - 2,626, followed by Thrissur with 2,329 and Kozhikode with 2,188, health minister Veena George said. "Out of those who were found infected today, 96 reached the state from outside, while 18,114 contracted the disease from their contacts. The sources of infection of 1,038 are yet to be traced. 77 health workers are also among the infected," the minister said in a release. Active cases stood at 1,80,842, out of which 13.2 per cent are in hospitals, she said, but did not give the Test Positivity Rate. A total of 1,21,070 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. The minister said 88.94 per cent of the targeted population have received the first dose of vaccination and 36.67 per cent, both the doses. There are 2,507 wards across 678 local self government bodies in the state with a weekly infection population ratio above eight per cent, she said. PTI RRT APR APR