TN has highest number of O2 beds in India: Health Minister

“Around 8,000 beds, including oxygen beds, Siddha centres and non-oxygen beds are empty in Chennai. As of now, there is no shortage of beds,” said Minister Subramanian. Tamil Nadu has the highest number of oxygen beds in India. The State also has 276 RTPCR testing centres and more than 1.70 lakh samples are being collected per day, which is the highest in the country, he said. 

“We are intensifying vaccination drive in rural districts where COVID cases are soaring. The majority of people who received their vaccine belong to the 18-44 age group, which the reason the vaccination drive picked up pace in the past three days,” he said. The State has received 80 lakh vaccine doses from the Centre for those above 45 years of age till now, and 78 lakh doses have been administered so far in Tamil Nadu, Subramanian added. 

Coimbatore overtaking Chennai in the number of daily cases was a cause of concern, said the Minister. Chief Minister MK Stalin, Minister Subramanian and Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan are monitoring the measures being taken to control the pandemic spread.