Intensify measures to further cut COVID-19 mortality rate,TN CM tells collectors

District collectors should step up efforts to further decrease the COVID-19 mortality rate in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said on Tuesday. Addressing a review meeting of district collectors on COVID-19 through a virtual link from the secretariat, Palaniswami flagged the need for more awareness.

District collectors should increase awareness among the people on the need to seek healthcare assistance by visiting hospitals within 24 hours of the manifestation of symptoms like fever, breathlessness, fatigue and a loss of taste, he said. "Priority must be given to samples of senior citizens and those with co-morbidities while conducting RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests to detect COVID.

Test results should be declared expeditiously," he advised. The Chief Minister asked the collectors to monitor more if the protocol for treating COVID patients were being followed in government and private hospitals.

"District collectors should periodically inspect the amenities at COVID care centres." So far Rs 7,323 crore has been spent on prevention, treatment and relief for the coronavirus pandemic, he said. In view of a string of measures to combat COVID, Tamil Nadu's recovery rate is above 90.50 per cent and mortality is pretty low at 1.60 per cent, he noted.

Though Tamil Nadu has a low mortality rate, it needed to be further reduced and district collectors, in consultation with health officials, should intensify measures to make it happen, Palaniswami said. As of September 28, Tamil Nadu's death toll was 9,383 which includes 3,179 from Chennai, Chengelpet 545 and Tiruvallur 544.

The active cases stood at 46,306 and cumulatively, 5,30,708 people got cured out of the5,86,397 total cases. The government's measures to contain the spread of pandemic earned the praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said and thanked the frontline workers, officials and ministers for the appreciation.

To sustain the momentum that fetched admiration, the good work should be continued, he said.