Tamil Nadu reports 716 new Covid-19 cases, 510 in Chennai alone

Total count at 8,718; eight succumb, taking death toll to 61

Tamil Nadu today reported 716 persons, including 510 in Chennai, who tested positive for Covid-19 the past 24 hours. Eight persons died in the state, taking the overall death toll to 61.

The State Health Department has said a total of 716 persons tested positive for Coronavirus in the state taking the total tally to 8,718.

A total of 83 Covid-19 patients were discharged in the state taking the total to 2,134.

According to the government a total of 11,788 samples were tested taking to total to 266,000 till date. Testing of 1,249 samples is under process.

The number of infected children in the age group 0-12 went up to 487. In Chennai, 32 children below 12 years have been infected with CoronaVirus today.

The total number of active cases in Tamil Nadu stands at 6,520.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has written to the Centre not to operate any trains to Chennai city till the Covid-19 spread is controlled.

The state government also added that the Railways will initially quarantinee about 1,100 passengers who will be coming by Delhi–Chennai Rajdhani Express on May 14.

Indian Railways had announced operation of Delhi -Chennai and Chennai-Delhi Rajdhani Express on May 14 and May 16. Barring these two trains, there will be no regular train services, the statement said.

The state government said as Rajdhani Express is fully air conditioned train there is risk of Corornavirus spread.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Railway Minsiter Goyal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palanswami had said all the train passengers coming to Chennai have to the tested for Coronavirus.

As it is not possible to test all the passengers numbering over 1,000, the Railways have to quarantine them and in a day or two the state government will take the samples.

Soon after the test results are obtained, the state government will take Coronavirus positive persons to hospital and the others to quarantine centres.

Palaniswami has also stressed that regular trains need not be operated to Chennai till the virus spread is brought under control.