TN reports 3 new COVID-19 cases: total goes up to 28

Tamil Nadu on Wednesday reported three fresh cases of COVID-19 which include a contact of the second positive case and a 63-year-old man who recently returned from Dubai, State Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said on Wednesday night.

The third patient was a 66-year-old male who had received it from another COVID-19 positive case in Salem.

With the latest positive cases, the total number of coronavirus patients in Tamil Nadu gone up to 28.

"#UPDATE: 3 new positive cases of #COVID19 in TN. 18 year Male contact of 2nd Patient at #RGGH. 63 year male Dubai return at Walajah Government Hospital. 66 year old male contact of Thai nationals at IRTT, Perundurai (sic)" Baskar said in a tweet.

He said the patients were in isolation and stable.

Earlier in the day, five new cases were reported in Tamil Nadu which include four Indonesian nationals and the guide who travelled with them.

Baskar said the five patients were tested. They were in quarantine since March 22 at the Salem Medical College.

Giving some statistics he said 2,09,276 patients were screened so far and 15,492 were under follow up.

Tamil Nadu reported its first coronavirus case on March 7 when a 45-year-old engineer from Kancheepuram who has now been discharged after treatment at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.

The health minister said the second coronavirus patient, a 20-year-old male, who had come to Chennai from New Delhi through train was recovering and expected to be discharged in a couple of days.