COVID-19 tally crosses 500-mark in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu recorded a marginal rise in recent COVID-19 infections on Friday. After the every day depend stayed under the 500-mark for a month, the State reported 543 new infections, with Chennai accounting for a bit of over 40% of the circumstances.

The variety of COVID-19 circumstances dropped under 500 a day on February 4 in the State, whereas Chennai’s every day depend has stayed under 200 since mid-January. However, the recent infections elevated to 225 in Chennai whereas Coimbatore and Chengalpattu reported 51 and 46 circumstances respectively. A complete of 33 individuals examined optimistic for the an infection in Tiruvallur and 25 in Tiruppur.

While Kallakurichi had no new circumstances, 25 districts reported lower than 10 circumstances every. Of this, 10 districts recorded one case every. The recent circumstances included 5 returnees — two from the UAE and one every from Karnataka, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

While 562 individuals had been discharged, 5 extra died — two in Chennai and one every in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. The State’s total COVID-19 tally stood at 8,53,992 — 3,954 lively circumstances, 8,37,525 discharged and 12,513 deaths. A complete of 54,863 samples had been examined in the final 24 hours.

Non-compliance with COVID-19 norms was cited as one of many causes for the rise in recent infections. Several household clusters had been reported in the previous week with all having a historical past of both attending a household gathering or journey.

Enforcing the rule on sporting masks was key, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan mentioned.

In a communication to District Collectors and the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, he informed them to strictly implement the rule and penalise anybody violating it. Crowded locations reminiscent of markets, railway stations, bus stands and principal market streets in addition to seashores must be monitored. Use of masks must be ensured for avenue distributors, at tea outlets and eating places, whereas a distance of two yards must be maintained in eating locations.

“Aggressive testing is another important tool coupled with contact tracing,” he informed them. Deputy Directors of Health Services in districts and City Health Officers in cities and native our bodies ought to acquire and submit particulars on the supply of an infection and supply of illness unfold each day in order that it may very well be recognized and containment zones drawn up.

Another space of concern, he mentioned, was guaranteeing efficient containment of streets or habitations the place greater than three circumstances had been famous. “People seem to be moving in and out freely which is very dangerous as they will spread to others easily. The reason for family and hostel clusters is poor home or residential quarantine, and if not implemented strictly, could spread to workplaces and places they visited,” he mentioned.

Mr. Radhakrishnan pressured on disinfection and demarcating containment areas, whereas noting that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of checking temperature in workplaces had come down.

“Cases have been rising in Chennai, Coimbatore, Chengalpattu and adjacent districts, and test positivity is also rising. Failure to act now will lead us to rapid increase of cases and the need to reactivate COVID-19 Care Centres,” he mentioned. “March is a critical month for us to bring the numbers, which have started to increase, down, or we could go the Maharashtra, Punjab or Kerala way. Stagnation of numbers in remaining districts is worrisome sign even if below 10 a day as anyone can become a super spreader,” he mentioned.

T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, mentioned that everybody wanted to comply with the SOP, significantly in public locations. “Mask wearing and physical distancing is critical,” . It must be a neighborhood motion,” he mentioned.

92,208 vaccinated

On Friday, 92,208 individuals had been vaccinated towards COVID-19, taking the general protection until date to 7,62,604. In 5 days, the variety of senior residents immunised in the State crossed one lakh. While 16,807 individuals aged 45 to 59 with co-morbidities had been inoculated, 10,971 healthcare employees took the jab. With this, the variety of healthcare employees immunised crossed 4 lakh.

Senior CPI chief R. Nallakannu, 96, acquired his first dose on the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Friday.