The central districts on Friday recorded an increase in new cases of COVID- 19 with 714 patients testing positive for the viral infection compared to Thursday's 667. Meanwhile, seven patients - three in Tiruchi, two in Thanjavur and one each in Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur - died of the infection.
Two men aged 46 and 76 with pre-existing conditions of diabetes and hypertension and a 66-year-old man suffering acute respiratory distress syndrome succumbed to the infection in Tiruchi. In Thanjavur, an 81-year-old man who suffered an acute respiratory failure, and a 68-year-old man with no medical history died of the infection, while in Tiruvarur, a 48-year-old man with acute respiratory distress syndrome too, died of COVID-19. In Nagapattinam, a 40-year-old woman with a history of hypertension died of the infection.
Thanjavur recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases among the central districts on Friday with 162 new cases. This included a teacher at a school in Ammapettai, an ambulance driver, a medical assistant and two doctors at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, a total of 150 patients recovered from the infection and were discharged on Friday.
In Tiruchi, 136 patients tested positive for the viral infection among which were patients with symptoms of Influenza-Like Illnesses, Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses and primary contacts. Some local index cases with no history of contact or travel were also among those who tested positive.
Pudukottai recorded 123 new cases while Tiruvarur recorded 101 new fresh cases for the viral infection. Patients who tested positive in both districts were local index cases with no contact history and primary contacts of patients with symptoms of Influenza-Like Illnesses.
In Nagapattinam, 80 patients tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday while Karur recorded a spike in cases with 68 new cases on Friday.
Ariyalur recorded 33 new cases for COVID-19. Two new containment zones were added in the district, increasing the total number of containment zones to 36.
Meanwhile, 11 patients, five of whom were from Perambalur block tested positive in Perambalur district. Meanwhile, a total of 419 new throat swabs were lifted from primary contacts, people from containment zones and patients showing symptoms of COVID-19.