Tamil Nadu reported 489 fresh cases of COVID-19 and two deaths on Wednesday, taking its overall tally of cases to 8,52,967 and toll to 12,504.
Of this, 184 persons tested positive for the infection in Chennai, followed by 45 persons in Chengalpattu and 44 in Coimbatore. There were 21 cases in Kancheepuram, 20 in Tiruvallur, 18 in Tiruppur and 17 in Thanjavur. A total of 27 districts reported fewer than 10 cases each, with four of them — Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, Perambalur and Ramanathapuram — recording a single case each.
Of the two deaths, Chennai and Chengalpattu accounted for one each.
A 77-year-old man with systemic hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease died at the Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital on March 1 due to viral pneumonia and aspiration pneumonitis.
A 62-year-old man with diabetes, systemic hypertension and coronary artery disease died at the Government Corona Hospital on March 2 due to COVID-19 pneumonia and respiratory failure.
Another 494 persons were discharged after treatment in the State. Till date, 8,36,473 persons have been discharged. A total of 3,990 persons, including 1,784 in Chennai, 380 in Coimbatore and 321 in Chengalpattu, are presently under treatment.
In the last 24 hours, 50,783 samples were tested in the State. So far, a total of 1,76,30,655 samples have been tested.
Team visit
A high-level multi-disciplinary team from the Centre is on a visit to the State. On Wednesday, the team, comprising an official from the Union Health Ministry and doctors from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, conducted field inspections in Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts.
66,337 vaccinated
Wednesday saw a rise in the number of persons inoculated against COVID-19 in the State.
A total of 66,337 persons — nearly 40% of whom were senior citizens — were vaccinated, taking the total number of persons covered till date to 5,89,370.
As many as 25,928 persons aged above 60 years were immunised. This was followed by 16,131 frontline workers, 14,577 persons aged 45 to 59 years with co-morbidities and 9,701 healthcare workers.
Covishield was administered to 25,512 senior citizens, 14,202 persons with co-morbidities, 15,669 frontline workers and 9,411 healthcare workers.
The remaining 290 healthcare workers, 462 frontline workers, 375 persons with co-morbidities and 416 elderly persons received Covaxin.
Of the 66,337 beneficiaries, government COVID-19 vaccination centres covered 46,085 beneficiaries — 42,081 persons received the first dose and 4,724 received the second dose, while private centres inoculated 19,532 persons — 17,613 received the first dose and 1,919 persons the second dose.
Covaxin to pvt. hospitals
Vaccination was conducted in a total of 1,235 sessions. So far, 3,81,888 healthcare workers, 1,31,729 frontline workers, 29,057 persons in the age group of 45 to 59 with co-morbidities and 46,696 persons aged above 60 years have been vaccinated in the State.
The Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has decided to distribute Covaxin to private hospitals.
In a circular issued on March 2, the Director of Public Health said that considering the request from various private hospitals and the availability of vaccines in the State, it had been decided to provide Covaxin in minimum doses — minimum one vial of 10 doses of each — to private hospitals.
Minimum wastage
All Deputy Directors of Health Services (DDHS) were instructed to provide the vaccine doses to start with a minimum of one vial to private hospitals on their request and to inform the hospitals to use the vaccines with minimum wastage.
The hospitals should also obtain consent forms from the individuals.
The DDHS should collect the database from the respective private hospitals and forward it to Bharat Biotech International Limited/Indian Council of Medical Research on a daily basis.
Any deviation in this regard would be viewed seriously, the Directorate said.