Four more die of COVID-19 in TN,toll to 44; 526 test positive

: Four COVID-19 deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu on Saturday with the state recording 526 more positive cases, including a five day old baby, taking the total number to 6,535, the health department said.

The deceased were all women, with three hailing from the city and one from Ramanathapuram.

With this, the death toll has gone up to 44, a health department bulletin said.

A 58-year-old woman from the city passed away on May 8 while a 67-year-old with co-morbid conditions breathed her last late Friday.

Another 73-year-old woman from the city died on May 8 while a 70-year-old from Ramanathapuram died on Saturday at Sivagangai Medical College.

Of the total of 526 positive cases, Chennai continued to lead the numbers with 279, followed by Villupuram 67 and Chengalpattu at 40.

The bulletin also said none of the 526 COVID-19 positive patients were primary cases and all were contacts of these people.

Of this number 360 were men and 166 women.

The baby was among 18 children aged below 10 years who tested positive for COVID-19, the bulletin said.

In stepped up screening on Saturday, a total of 13,254 people were tested in 53 centres across the state.

The bulletin said 1,867 positive cases are linked to Chennai's Koyambedu market, identified as a hotspot.

While Chennai has 3,330 cases till date, 10 districts saw the number of positive cases crossing the three digit mark.

According to the bulletin, 1,824 patients have been discharged after treatment.

The department advised people to strictly adhere to health and travel advisories issued by the government.

"Public should follow the cough etiquette by covering their faces with handkerchiefs or towels and frequently wash their hands with soap and water", the department said.