Tamil Nadu records 605 fresh coronavirus cases, six fatalities

The total number of cases reported till date in the state is 2,740,411

: Tamil Nadu on Monday recorded 605 new COVID-19 positive cases and six deaths due to the infection, thus taking the total number of cases reported till date to 27,40,411 and the toll of fatalities to 36,686.

Three passengers who returned from UAE, a passenger each from Ghana and the UK, who tested positive, added to the 605 fresh infections, according to a bulletin from the Health Department.

With 697 COVID-19 positive patients getting discharged after treatment today, the total recoveries so far has increased to 26,96,553. The number of active cases, including those on isolation, as on today remain at 7,172, the bulletin said.

Chennai is the lone district that registered a maximum of 126 positive cases in the State but the number of persons discharged in the metro today remained on the higher side at 131. Coimbatore reported 97 new cases, next to Chennai while Erode reported 51 cases. Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Tenkasi districts saw no new infections today and Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Ranipet and Theni districts witnessed a case each. About 15 districts saw fresh infections below 10.

The State capital accounted for 5,60,459 positive cases while the active cases remain at 1,335. The total recoveries so far have mounted to 5,50,484. The toll in the metro has risen to 8,640 thus far.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu health and family welfare principal secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan wrote a letter to heads of departments, all district collectors, health officials and commissioners of Corporations to focus on preventing any spurt in COVID-19 cases and clusters, in the wake of Europe, some parts of the world and even New Delhi reporting Delta variant of coronavirus and Omicron.

Issuing a set of instructions, he said, At this stage for effectively tackling such challenges, intensive and sustained public health preventive and control measures alone will be useful and help the State in preventing and tackling any spurt in communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Campaigns should go beyond merely creating awareness and focus more on resulting in change of behaviour and encouraging local people to own the campaigns in workplaces, local bodies, traders or NGOs, he said.

On vaccination, Dr Radhakrishnan said the focus is especially needed on improving the coverage of the elderly and immune-compromised individuals apart from covering those yet to take first dose and those due or overdue for the second dose.