TIRUCHI
The central region saw a major spike in COVID cases with a total of 340 patients testing positive on Friday, with Thanjavur district recording a new single-day high of 117 cases. Three deaths were recorded in Tiruchi district.
A 70-year-old man diagnosed with systemic hypertension and kidney disease, another 70-year-old man with diabetes, and a 59-year-old man died of COVID-19 related complications at the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital.
Meanwhile, cases were on the upswing in Thanjavur, Tiruchi and Pudukottai. Tiruchi with 100 fresh cases was close behind Thanjavur, while Pudukottai added 75 new cases. Among the other districts in the region, 15 new cases were reported in Tiruvarur, 12 in Karur, 10 in Ariyalur, nine in Peramblaur and two in Nagapattinam.
All 117 patients who tested positive in Thanjavur were vendors of the Darasuram vegetable market in Kumbakonam and their primary contacts.
“We are expecting at least 350 cases from this cluster. A few days back, 75 tested positive, a few more are likely to test positive over the next few days,” said a senior health official in the district. The total number of cases reported in the district so far is 952. Of them 453 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.
In Tiruchi most of the fresh cases were reported from areas within containment zones, official sources said. At least 60 patients belonged to areas within Tiruchi city limits. All patients have been admitted to the Tiruchi MGMGH for treatment. The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the district stood at 2,004.
Meanwhile, 61 patients, including 57 from Tiruchi, were discharged from the MGMGH while 57 patients, including 50 from Tiruchi, were discharged from the COVID Care Centre in Khajamalai.
All the 75 patients from Pudukottai have been admitted to the Government Ranee’s Hospital.
Among the 12 patients who tested positive in Karur, five were men and seven women. All of them have been admitted to the Karur Government Medical College Hospital.
Five of 0 patients who tested positive in Ariyalur were immediate contacts of those who tested positive earlier. Three had returned from Kumbakonam, while one each had returned from Tiruchi and Perambalur. Seven patients have been admitted to the Ariyalur District Headquarters Hospital, two to the Tiruchi MGMGH and one patient to a private hospital in Coimbatore.
A three-year-old child was among the nine patients who tested positive in Perambalur. A 30-year-old man, a typist working at the Alathur panchayat union office also tested positive. While six patients have been admitted to the Perambalur District Headquarters Hospital, three are in home quarantine.
Two patients tested positive in Nagapattinam on Friday. A 33-year-old man hailing from Mayiladuthurai had travelled to Thanjavur with his ailing father-in-law for treatment. He is now admitted to ha private hospital in Thanjavur. The other patient is a 28-year-old woman who was a local contact of a patient who tested positive.