TN COVID-19 tally crosses 14,000, toll at 98

: Tamil Nadu reported nearly 800 cases of coronavirus on Friday, pushing the cumulative tally of the infections in the state well past the 14,000 mark, even as the death toll from the virus stood at 98.

The state saw 786 new infections of the deadly virus on Friday, raising the number of such cases to 14,753, while four fatalities were reported, the health department said.

The number of peopledischarged from hospitals outnumbered the new positive cases on Friday, with as many as 846 being cured of the contagion.

With this the number of people who have been cured after treatment has gone up to 7,128 in Tamil Nadu.

Among those who tested positive for the virus today were 92 people who had returned to Tamil Nadu from other states.

One passenger who had come back from Philippines tested positive in the exit test conducted after seven days of the arrival, though having tested negative earlier.

According to the health department bulletin, Chennai continues to top with most number of cases, at 9,364, with 569 cases on Friday.

This is the third straight day the state is reporting 700 plus COVID-19 cases.

On May 21 and 20 it had recorded 776 and 743 new cases respectively.

According to a report from Erode, the district recorded its first case of COVID-19 after 36 days when a 52 year-old employee at a bakery tested positive for coronavirus.

He has been kept in isolation at the Salem Government Hospital.

Revenue officials have kept 17 of his family members under quarantine, sources said.

Besides Erode, Kallakurichi, Krishnagiri, Madurai and Ranipet have reported one case each on Friday, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, city-based Lifecell International has received the government's approval for conducting tests, taking the total number of such facilities in the state to 67.

Nearly 3,85,185 samples were taken for testing and the total number of active cases including those in isolation was at 7,524.

As many as 66 people who returned from Maharashtra, 13 from New Delhi, six from West Bengal, two from Andhra Pradesh and one each from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana tested positive for the virus.

Two transgenders and 312 women were among the 786 new cases on Friday.

Five people above the age of 80, including an 88 year old man, and a three month old baby were among the newly affected people, the bulletin said.

Neighbouring Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur districts recorded 40 and 39 fresh cases, respectively.

Fifteen districts have reported 'nil' cases on Friday.

As many as 62 passengers who had returned from other countries have tested positive till today.

Twenty-six individuals, who returned from other countries and initially tested negative, have turned positive during exit screening after seven days, the bulletin said.