Tamil Nadu’s COVID-19 case tally crossed 11,000 on Sunday, with the State reporting 639 new infections, thereby exceeding the 500-mark after three days. The fresh cases included 81 returnees from other parts of the country. While four patients died, the overall case count reached 11,224, of which 6,971* were active cases.

Of the 639 fresh cases, 558 were people from within the State, 73 from Maharashtra, three from Telangana, two each from Karnataka and Rajasthan, and one from Andhra Pradesh. The returnees from other States were intercepted at checkposts in various districts. In Chennai, only the one person from Andhra Pradesh and one returnee from Karnataka tested positive. Most of the returnees from Maharashtra who tested positive for the disease were intercepted at checkposts in Karur, Kallakurichi, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.

Eleven districts saw new patients on Sunday, including Chennai, which accounted for 480 positive cases. While its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur accounted for 28 and 18 patients, respectively, Madurai recorded 10 cases. In the remaining districts, the number of new cases was in single digits.

Interactive map of confirmed coronavirus cases in India

Four deaths

The State recorded four deaths, taking the overall toll to 78. The patients had been undergoing treatment in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and the Stanley Medical College Hospital. Three of the patients who died had underlying ailments. A 63-year-old man from Tiruvallur, who had systemic hypertension/chronic kidney disease, and had been admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, died around 9.15 a.m. on Saturday. The cause of his death was due to respiratory failure/acute pulmonary edema, according to the Health Department.

A 40-year-old man from Tiruvallur, who had been admitted to the same hospital on May 12, died around 3.30 a.m. on Sunday due to acute respiratory distress syndrome/respiratory failure.

A 44-year-old resident of Chennai who had rheumatoid arthritis, died within 40 minutes of admission at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital on Saturday. She had been admitted at 11.10 a.m. and died at 11.50 a.m. due to sepsis/septic shock, according to hospital authorities.

In the same hospital, a 45-year-old woman, who was admitted on May 7, had other health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and bronchial asthma. She died around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday due to chronic bronchial asthma with respiratory failure. The health bulletin of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said 634 persons were discharged on Sunday, taking the total number of discharged persons to 4,172. Besides, 4,366 persons suspected to have the infection had been admitted to isolation wards.

The airport screening conducted from May 9 till date, covering 1,777 persons, had helped detect 13 COVID-19 patients, all of whom were among the arrivals in Chennai. All the 184 persons who had arrived at Tiruchi airport had tested negative.

The samples of 1,696 persons who had arrived by train from Delhi have been lifted for testing so far.

Of the 849 persons from Delhi who were tested on arrival at the Central Railway Station on Thursday, two tested positive and have been quarantined at the railway hospital.

The samples of 847 persons who had arrived from Delhi on Friday are being processed, officials said.

(*The death of two persons were cross-notified to other States. One patient died after turning negative for the infection)