Day 4: Tamil Nadu tally crosses 1000-mark yet again

CHENNAI: For the fourth consecutive day, fresh cases in Tamil Nadu crossed the 1,000-mark with 1,286 testing positive on Wednesday, taking the tally to 25,872. Eleven patients, in the 47-80 age group, died taking the toll to 208. The fresh cases include 42 people who came from other States and countries.

Chennai took a large bite out of the cases reported with 1,012 testing positive. The city tally now stands at 17,598. Chennai also accounted for eight out of the 11 deaths reported on the day, taking the toll to 158. Two men (47 and 68) who were among the deceased in the city, had no co-morbidities. Royapuram and Tondiarpet zones remained at the top with 1,435 and 1,242 active cases respectively. Teynampet stood third with 908 active cases.

On a positive note, the recovery rate in Chennai stood at 9,034, higher than the 8,405 active cases. Chengalpattu recorded 61 cases; Tiruvallur, 58 and Kancheepuram, 19.Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association’s Tamil Nadu branch has worked out treatment cost for COVID-19 at private hospitals and submitted it to the government.

The cost, including accommodation, equipment and administrative charges, for those with mild to moderate symptoms for 10 days has been put at Rs 1,75,596 and for those with severe symptoms, Rs 3,30,826.

Those with mild symptoms will be charged Rs 56,224 towards pharmacy, consumable, and investigation, while those with severe symptoms,  Rs 1,00,585. The total cost comes to Rs 2,31,820 and Rs 4,31,411 for both the categories respectively.

State records 1,286 new cases, 11 deaths

The Association has not included doctors consultation charges, food and quarantine expenses of doctors and staff working in the designated COVID centres. Speaking to Express, CN Raja, president, IMA TNSB, said, “We haven’t included quarantine charges for patients as well.

The government should sit with us and discuss before fixing the price.” AK Ravikumar, Secretary, IMA TNSB, said, “We have been requesting the government to bring it under the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme.