CHENNAI: Chennai alone accounted for 103 of the total 121 Covid-19 positive cases in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The State’s tally now stands at 2,058 and Chennai continues to be on top of the table, with 673 cases. The death toll also climbed to 25, after a 68-year-old man succumbed to the disease in a private hospital in the city. But in a worrisome development, as many as eight fresh cases are of children below 10 years, with a five-day-old baby girl being the youngest.
About the newborn’s contact history, a Health Department official said, “The baby was delivered at the Cantonment Board General Hospital. After four days, the mother developed fever and her samples tested positive. She was then shifted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Subsequently, the baby was tested and her result, too, came positive.”
Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean, Kilpauk Medical College said, “Since both are positive, the mother is breastfeeding the baby to build its immunity. After feeding, an attender takes care of baby.”
Apart from Chennai, fresh cases were reported only from four other districts — 12 from Chengalpattu, three from Kallakurichi, two from Namakkal and one from Kancheepuram. The day also saw 27 patients being cured and discharged.