Follow norms strictly, COVID rate will dip in city, Chief Minister tells people

Chennai

“In Tamil Nadu, Chennai has a very high population density. It is highly regrettable that people in the city did not follow the government instructions. If the people had followed the instructions, so many would not have been infected,” Palaniswami, who was accompanied by Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar, lamented at the review meeting to take stock of COVID-19 outbreak in Greater Chennai Corporation.

He said that except, in areas like Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpet, the situation is under control in the state due to the steps taken by the government. “The spread of the disease is higher in slums in Chennai because of the cramped houses. More tests are done, close to 13,000 are done on a daily across the state and 4,000 in the Chennai Corporation alone. People even with slightest symptoms are tested and their contracts are traced in quick time,” he said, adding that as many as 23,495 persons were tested positive and 13,170 has recovered and returned home.

“We have the highest recovery rate and lowest death rate in the country,” he noted. Palaniswami claimed that when compared to neighbouring Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Tamil Nadu has been testing more people and hence more cases were being reported. “The medical experts have recommended testing of more people to stop the spread. Many people are saying that the number of cases in the state has gone up. Only if we test more people, we will be able to find out the infected people and treat them. In other states, it was not so. In our state, we are testing as much as possible. In Chennai alone, we are testing daily 4,000 people on a daily basis,” he said.

Calling upon the city residents to maintain physical distancing and wear masks whenever they step out, he said after returning home, people should wash their face, hands and legs using soap. “Also clean the house and toilets frequently,” he said, adding that the developed countries are returning to normalcy after the number of new cases came down. “They were able to return to normalcy because the people strictly followed the government instructions. Chennai Corporation people should cooperate with the government and everyone should follow the instructions,” he appealed.

Rejects Stalin’s claim on ventilators shortage
Meanwhile, CM Palaniswami brushed aside Leader of Opposition and DMK president MK Stalin’s claim that the state is not having enough ventilators.

“The government hospitals in the state have 2,741 ventilators, including 620 newly purchased ones while the private hospitals have 630. We have a total of 3,371 ventilators. We need not worry as only few people need it. We are using ventilators for only 5 per cent of the patients. But the Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are not able to treat due to non-availability of ventilators. It is totally false,” he said.

Rebutting Stalin’s claim that the government has only 1.76 lakh PCR test kits, Palaniswami said 2.71 lakh kits have been sent to 43 labs for testing. “So far 15,45,700 PCR kits have been ordered and 11,51,700 kits have been received. The Centre provided us 50,000 PCR kits and as a donation, we have received 53,516 kits as gift. So in total, the state has received 12,55,216. In TNMSC, we have 4,59,800 stock. We have provided 7,95,414 PCR kits for hospitals for testing and 5,03,339 were used for testing. In labs across the state, 2,92,077 PCR test kits are available,” he added.

Later in the day, the Chief Minister met Governor Banwarilal Purohit and apprised him of the steps being taken by the state government to tackle the coronavirus in the state.