The central region continued to record a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases with 698 patients testing positive on Friday.
Tiruchi, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur recorded single-day high numbers with 217, 186 and 96 positive cases, respectively. The region also recorded four deaths - one each in Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Tiruchi.
A 58-year-old man from Ariyalur with diabetes died at a private hospital in Ariyalur, while a 67-year-old man with coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension died at Nagapattinam District Headquarters Hospital. An 87-year-old man from Pudukottai who had a history of chronic kidney disease died at Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital while another patient died of coronary artery disease at a private hospital in Tiruchi, according to the Health Department’s bulletin.
Meanwhile, Pudukottai saw 95 new COVID-19 positive cases, 46 in Nagapattinam, 37 in Ariyalur, 16 in Perambalur and five in Karur districts.
Among the 217 persons who tested positive in Tiruchi district were a doctor who had been posted to the COVID-19 ward at the SRM Medical College Hospital and a few police personnel from the RPF training camp.
Meanwhile, 36 patients, including 32 from Tiruchi who were admitted to the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital and 67 persons from the COVID Care Centre at Khajamalai, were discharged after recovering from the viral infection.
In Thanjavur, 186 patients, many of whom were direct contacts or secondary contacts of people linked to the Darasuram market tested positive. The patients are undergoing treatment at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.
A total of 95 patients tested positive in Pudukottai - among them were inter-district travellers, and primary and secondary contacts of travellers. All patients have been admitted to Ranee’s Government Hospital for treatment. A total of 136 patients were discharged from the hospital on Friday.
Of the 46 patients who tested positive in Nagapattinam, 30 were local primary contacts of patients who tested positive. Three returned from Cuddalore, three from Thanjavur, one from Kanniyakumari and one from Dindigul. One patient had returned from Karnataka, and two from Chennai.
In Ariyalur, 37 patients tested positive, while 96 patients tested positive in Tiruvarur.
In Perambalur, of the 16 patients, eight were inter-district travellers, while two were secondary contacts of a single man, three were contacts of an interdistrict traveller while two were immediate family members of the Deputy Block Development Officer of Kunnam block, who tested positive earlier. While 12 of the patients have been admitted to Perambalur District Headquarters Hospital, three have been admitted to the Tiruchi GH and one has been admitted to the Ariyalur GH.
In Karur, five patients, including a woman, tested positive for the viral infection. The patients have been admitted to Karur Government Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, nine patients were discharged.