Spike in dists takes TN tally to record high of 4,526 cases, recoveries near 1L

COVID-19 positive cases on Tuesday of whom 4,467 were local patients while the rest were returnees. However, cases from the districts continued to surge.

More than 75% of the new cases were reported in other districts with Madurai reporting 450 new cases, Tiruvallur 360 and Virudhunagar reporting 328 cases in the past 24 hours. Tamil Nadu’s tally so far has now risen to 1,47,324. Though Chennai continued to witness a downward trend with just 1,078 new cases, neighbouring districts including of Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram continued to report a spike in the cases of COVID-19 with Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram witnessing 264 and 117 cases respectively.

Senior health officials pointed out that while there have been no specific clusters accounting for the rise in number of cases in the city’s neighbouring districts, aggressive contact tracing of all positive cases could be a reason for the spike.

A total of 67 more deaths were reported in the State, including that of a 13-year-old female patient from Sivaganga district. Of the total, 50 deaths were reported in government hospitals, while 17 people died in private hospitals. Only two deceased did not have any underlying co-morbid conditions. The death toll in the State had reached 2,099.

A total of 41,357 samples were tested in the past 24 hours in the State, taking the total tested so far to 16,95,365.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries in the State is nearing 1 lakh as 4,743 more patients were discharged post treatment from several hospitals across the State on Tuesday. So far, 97,310 people have recovered while Tamil Nadu has 47,912 active cases. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami tested negative for COVID-19 on Tuesday. After ministers and other officials attached to the CM’s office tested positive recently, RT-PCR tests were conducted for the CM and staff attached to his office. “Palaniswami, officials and other staff underwent COVID-19 tests on Monday. A day alter it was found all of them tested negative,” the State’s official statement read.

 A 103-year-old woman from Periavarigam village near Ambur in Tirupattur emerged victorious in the battle against the virus on Monday. Hameeda Bi, who is living with her widowed daughter, tested positive on June 1 and was admitted to Ambur government hospital. On Monday, after more than a month, she was discharged from the hospital after testing negative. But with her daughter still in quarantine, she is dependent on others for survival, said her neighbours.