Chennai corporation collect swabs from migrant workers who are working at a construction site at OMR on Wednesday. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)
Chennai corporation collect swabs from migrant workers who are working at a construction site at OMR on Wednesday. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

Tamil Nadu reports 5,528 fresh COVID-19 cases, 64 more deaths

Minister urges people to come to hospitals if they have a fever despite testing negative for the virus

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu reported 5,528 new COVID-19 cases and 64 deaths taking the state’s tally to 4,86,052 and toll to 8,154 on Thursday. The state continues to test well over 80,000 people daily, with 85,473 samples and 83,411 individuals being tested on the day.

Chennai alone reported 991 cases while its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur reported 279, 173 and 296 cases respectively. After Chennai, Coimbatore reported the highest number of cases at 440. Salem reported 300 cases and Cuddalore 263. Among the deceased, seven did not have any co-morbid conditions.

According to Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, the test positivity rate in the state is below 10 per cent in all districts barring Krishnagiri and Cuddalore.

"In Krishnagiri and Cuddalore, the positivity rate is 11.7 per cent. In a day or two, it will be brought under control," he said, while speaking to reporters at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai.

In districts with a high number of cases, the state is conducting fever camps and testing aggressively, he said. Districts were also closely monitoring cases of Influenza Like Illnesses in the field.
“As more relaxations have been announced, private hospital beds have to be increased to meet any possible demand," Vijayabaskar said.

On Oxford University's Covishield vaccine phase 2 trials, in which the state was to participate, the minister said Tamil Nadu would follow ICMR instructions.

"Even if the RT-PCR test comes negative for COVID and the patient still has a fever, the patient should come to the hospital," Vijayabaskar said.

Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan warned that people who violate social distancing norms and don’t wear masks will be fined. He observed that in many public places people did not seem to be following the state government’s instructions.

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