Amaravati, Jan 19 : The Covid-19 surge in Andhra Pradesh continued with the state on Wednesday reporting over 10,000 cases and eight deaths. The daily count of cases rose sharply from 6,996 on Tuesday to 10,057, an increase of 43.75 per cent in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate also surged to 24.10 per cent from 18.36 per cent the previous day. According to the state command control room, 41,713 samples were tested during the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Visakhapatnam district accounted for three deaths while Chittoor, Nellore, Guntur, Srikakulam, and Vizianagaram districts reported a death each. The cumulative death toll mounted to 14,522. Visakhapatnam district reported the highest number of cases at 1,827, followed by Chittoor (1,822), Guntur (943) and East Godavari (919). Anantapur logged 861, Prakasam 716, Nellore 698, and YSR Kadapa 482. Meanwhile, the active cases in the state surged to 44,935 from 36,108 on Tuesday. The 24-hour period also saw 1,222 people recovering from the virus, taking the total recoveries to 20,67,984. The number of daily Covid tests has been rising sharply for the last three days after decline during the last few days due to Sankranti festival and week-end. Health authorities had already warned that Covid cases may increase sharply after Sankranti as the festival season sees huge movement of people. The night curfew, imposed as part of the measures taken by the state government to curb the spread, came into force across the state from Tuesday. Authorities are strictly enforcing the night curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. /IANS