TN monitoring variants, no need to panic: Health Minister

TIRUCHY: “Tamil Nadu has established a special lab at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore and has been closely monitoring Covid-19 variants. People need not panic, as there was no death recorded in the State for several months,” said the Health Minister Ma Subramanian here on Wednesday.

He added that there were reports of the Omicron variant surging in China, Brazil and France. “In Tamil Nadu, cases are reported but the number is in single digits,” he pointed out.

“No COVID-related in several deaths due to continuous monitoring and special vaccination camps. Across the State, 96% have taken the first dose while 92% took the second dose. The immunity power among the people has increased.”

Subramanian stated that Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is visiting Tiruchy on December 29, will lay the foundation for new buildings for the medical colleges in Kanniyakumari, Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Kallakurichi.

“The CM would also hand over the medicine kit (under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam Thittam) to the beneficiary who has reached the 1 crore mark. This person has been identified at Sannasipatti village in Tiruchy,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Chennai has requested the Director General of Health Services, GoI, to issue guidelines for mandatory testing of international passengers coming from China and Hong Kong arriving in Tamil Nadu.