Death rate in 4 zones higher than Corpn average

As on Tuesday, the city’s overall death rate stood at 1.67 per cent against the State’s death rate of 1.45 per cent. In the city, Tiruvottiyur and Teynampet zones have a death rate of 2.24 per cent while Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar and Tondiarpet zones recorded a death rate of 2.22 per cent and 2.19 per cent.

Of the four zones, Tiruvottiyur has the least number of total positive cases with 3,252, but recorded a total of 75 deaths. While Teynampet, Tondiarpet and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones have recorded 213, 193 and 155 deaths respectively, the caseload, in case of positive cases were at least three times more than the Tiruvottiyur zone.

An official of the Corporation said the deaths were high in certain zones due to various factors, including the spread of COVID-19 among the elderly population and persons with comorbidities. “The elderly population is more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and the mortality rate among them could be high,” the official said, adding that zones like Teynampet, Tondiarpet and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have high population density and making it difficult to enforce social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Hence these zones have a very high number of cases in the city and more number of deaths too,” the official said, adding that the persons with comorbidities, including uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, should protect themselves from contracting coronavirus.