CHENNAI: Two persons died of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, just a day after Health officials assured that all patients were stable and none were in critical condition, taking the death toll to three. The number of cases shot up by 74, taking the total State tally up to 485. A 51-year-old headmaster of a government school, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi, died at the Villupuram Medical College Hospital. A 53-year-old woman, whose husband attended the meet, also passed away at the Theni GH on Saturday. Official releases said both of them died of respiratory issues.
Sources in Villupuram told Express that the deceased headmaster had tuberculosis and breathing problems even before the COVID-19 outbreak. When government appealed for those who attended the Delhi meet to come forward, he voluntarily went for testing. The 53-year-old woman from Bodi is believed to have contracted the virus from her husband. The man is also quarantined at the hospital.
“Of the 74 who tested positive on Saturday, 73 are linked to one source,” said Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh, referring to the Delhi meet. The only other patient is a Chennai resident, and contact of an earlier patient with foreign travel history. With the number of cases rising sharply each day, the State has roped in PG students from the National Institute of Epidemiology to conduct a study on the trends of how the virus is spreading in TN. “Many people under observation are asymptomatic, but, they suddenly show symptoms and their condition deteriorates. The institute will study how the virus is spreading from a single source, and its patterns,’’ said Dr Rajesh.
“People living in containment zones should actively practice social distancing. Those with BP and diabetes must regularly check their condition,” she said. “As part of the containment, we have covered 7.23 lakh households with a population of 29.63 lakh.” Of the 485 cases, 423 are linked to the Jamaat. Dr Rajesh said eight persons have been discharged after successful treatment.
All houses under the Chennai Corporation limits will be inspected for persons with COVID-19 symptoms continuously for the next 90 days. For the exercise, which would begin on Sunday (April 4), the city would be divided into units comprising 75-100 houses. Around 16,000 corporation staff will be deployed to check the 10 lakh-odd homes in the city to identify infected persons, a press release said.
District-wise break-up of 74 cases reported