Tamil Nadu recorded 2,000-plus cases of COVID-19 for the seventh consecutive day on Tuesday. With 2,516 new infections, the State’s overall case tally climbed to 64,603*, even as the Health Department instructed districts witnessing a spike in cases to strengthen surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI).
As many as 1,227 patients were discharged, taking the total figure to 35,339. There are currently 28,428 active COVID-19 cases in the State.
The death toll went past 800, with 39 more persons succumbing to the infection.
Chennai and the districts of Tiruvallur, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai and Chengalpattu accounted for 76% of the new cases. Chennai, which reported 1,380 fresh cases, accounts for a total of 44,205 infections. Chengalpattu’s tally climbed to 4,030, with 146 fresh cases. Tiruvallur reported 156 cases, while Madurai and Tiruvannamalai continued to witness a spike in infections, recording 137 and 110 cases, respectively.
Barring Ariyalur and Tiruppur, all other districts reported fresh cases. Kancheepuram recorded 59 cases, followed by Theni (48), Dindigul (44), Tiruchi (40), Thoothukudi (38), Kallakurichi (37) and Vellore (36). A total of 38 persons who had returned from other countries and States also tested positive.
With the case counts continuing to rise in many districts, a health official said that districts had been instructed to strengthen containment measures. “One of the main factors is strengthening ILI surveillance in containment areas. We have told district officials to identify cases and test more. This should be coupled with proper contact tracing. Cases are increasing in a number of Corporations,” he said. The official added that initially, districts like Erode and Salem had ensured that people in containment areas did not step out to get groceries in order to prevent the spread of the infection. “People step out of homes mainly to purchase vegetables and groceries. So, these districts had deployed vehicles and regularly supplied the essential commodities to families in areas where positive cases were reported. This way, they succeeded in containing the spread of infection, and we have asked districts to do the same,” he added.
Of the 39 persons whose deaths were recorded on Tuesday, 36 had co-morbid conditions. One of the deaths was reported nine days after it occurred — a 43-year-old woman died at GMKMCH, Salem, on June 14, and this was reported in Tuesday’s bulletin. She had obesity and was admitted to the hospital on June 11. She died due to a sudden cardiac arrest and COVID-19 pneumonia. A 75-year-old man with systemic hypertension and diabetes died on the day he was admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, on June 20, due to factors including cardiopulmonary arrest and COVID-19 pneumonia. Two other persons — a 68-year-old and an 82-year-old — died on the day of admission to hospitals in Pudukottai and Cuddalore, respectively. A total of 833 persons have died in the State till date, with Chennai accounting for 645 of the fatalities.
Paediatric cases
There has been an increase in the number of children aged 0 to 12 testing positive for COVID-19. At least 100 children have tested positive every day since June 20. On Tuesday, 128 children tested positive, while 126 had tested positive on Monday. As of date, a total of 3,188 children have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu.
(*This is inclusive of two deaths cross-notified to other States and one patient who died after testing negative for the infection)
