Coimbatore district continued to top the western region in terms of single-day spike in COVID-19 cases, reporting 491 new cases and nine deaths on Saturday, taking the total number of cases reported so far in the district to 14,393 and the toll to 289.

The Kattoor Police Station (Crime) was closed for fumigation on Saturday after an Inspector tested positive. Swab samples of other police personnel, their family members and persons who were in contact with the officer were collected. Around 25 police personnel attached to the Coimbatore City Police tested positive for the disease in one week.

CEO office closed

The Chief Educational Officer’s office on Raja Street was closed for fumigation on Friday after a car driver tested positive. Sources said the man, aged 42, was the driver for Chief Educational Officer P. Usha. Other officials, including the CEO, underwent COVID-19 tests and the results were negative. The office would reopen on Tuesday, the sources said.

On Saturday, 345 persons were discharged in the district.

Salem reported the death of five persons aged 70, 67, 51, 70 and 57. In Erode, a 62-year-old man died, raising the toll to 39. In Tiruppur, two persons aged 54 and 80 died of the disease, raising the toll to 64.

Among the 432 cases reported in Salem, 420 were indigenous including 241 in the Salem Corporation limits. Twelve patients returned from Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Ramanathapuram and Tiruvanamalai.

In Namakkal, 70 persons including a Health Iinspector tested positive. Ten patients returned from Erode, Karur, Coimbatore, Salem and Vellore.

Erode district reported 156 new cases, taking the district’s tally to 2,891. While 54 persons were discharged on Saturday, 1,315 persons were under treatment.

Tiruppur saw 100 fresh cases, taking the district’s overall tally to 2,557. As many as 1,736 recovered so far and 757 were active cases. A total of 26 patients were discharged.

In the Nilgiris district, 17 persons tested positive, taking the district’s tally to 1,551.

Among the fresh cases, 11 persons had travelled to Coimbatore and Tiruppur and the remaining six were contacts of previous cases. Of the total cases, 1,234 recovered and 307 were active cases. Fourteen patients were discharged on Saturday.

A total of 40 persons tested positive in Krishnagiri, taking the total number of cases to 2,046. In Dharmapuri, 18 persons tested positive and the overall tally stood at 1,218.