17,154 active cases in TN, drop in COVID infections due to test-search-isolate strategy, says Health Min

The active cases stood at 17,154, even as discharges outnumbered new cases. A total of 2,494 persons were cured of the infection today, according to a government bulletin.

With the addition of the fresh infections, the caseload has gone up to 7,56,372 while recoveries stood at 7,27,752. The government attributed the declining trend in new cases to a combination of RT-PCR tests and its "searching and isolation policy." 

Chennai reported 509 fresh cases, followed by Coimbatore at 182 and Chengalpattu which saw 139 new additions.

The rest of the cases were spread across other districts, with most of them witnessing double-digit additions. Perambalur recorded three new patients. All the 12 deceased had comorbidities.

As many as 70,425 samples were tested by RT-PCR, even as the total specimens examined stood at 1,10,07,832. Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar said the government's focus on testing, searching (for cases) and isolation strategy was key to the drop in infections.

He said the government had received inputs that cases had spiked in some states due to festival time crowding. "But Tamil Nadu has been on the declining trend and this is due to the RT-PCR testing. We are not missing anyone who is positive and are consistent with our, testing, searching and isolation," he said.

As a result, no positive person is left out and "we are curtailing" the chance of such individuals becoming a spreader, he told reporters here. "This is the reason for our success. More awareness is required and more compliance can lead to more effective decline," he added.