Slight increase in Covid cases in four TN districts: DME

THANJAVUR/TIRUCHY: There has been a slight increase in Covid-19 cases recently, especially in the four districts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Thanjavur and Coimbatore, said R Narayanababu, Director of Medical Education (DME).

Talking to reporters at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital on Monday after visiting the Covid-19 ward where the students of a school in Ammapettai are being treated, he said, “The students did not have any lung problem and only had fever. That has subsided. They will be discharged in  two days. Of the total 57 students who tested positive, 48 are being treated in here. As far as the southern districts are concerned, there has been no increase in cases and only around 350 cases are being reported per day from these districts.”

Narayanababu said the State is prepared to tackle the  increase in the number of cases and there are around 1.4 lakh beds and 1.5 lakh doses of Remdesivir kept ready for treating patients.  “Medical and para-medical staff are well prepared for treating patients after a year of experience. Deaths due to Covid-19 are negligible now. Till March 14, as many as 13,86,379 people were administered Covid-19 vaccine.

Of this, a total of  8,381 are from Thanjavur,” he said. Not even one of those who took two shots of Covid-19 vaccine in the State tested positive again, he said. “Even if those who had taken two shots contracts Covid-19 after six weeks of taking the vaccine, their vital organs will not be affected,” Narayanababu added.  G Ravikumar, Dean, S Marududurain, Medical Superintendent, and A Selvam, Resident Medical officer, were present during the inspection.

15 test positive in Srirangam 

Meanwhile, 15 people, including 11 students and four faculty members of Government College of Engineering in Srirangam, tested positive on Sunday, taking the total of people in the institution to test positive to 16.“On Sunday, after one student tested positive, samples were collected from 250 of his contacts, including faculty,” said Dr Ram Ganesh, Deputy Director of Health Services Tiruchy. 

“Of these samples, 15 tested positive on Monday. A total of 250 more samples were collected from the college on Monday. The college has also been shut on orders of Collector S Sivarasu and will remain closed for at least 10 days,” he added.A meeting was conducted with members of Education Department and 70 college principals on Monday at the Collectorate on preventive measures and safety protocol.The meeting was held after clusters were formed in schools in Thanjavur and other districts. 

Already, a student tested positive from National College on Sunday. Another faculty from St. James Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tiruchy also tested positive. The college has been closed for three days and the Corporation has been asked to take more samples. Meanwhile, he number of those tested positive at Ammapettai school cluster went up to 62 with four parents of students testing positive on Monday.

The girls higher secondary school cluster came to light after one of the students showed symptoms during a routine thermal check at the entrance of the school last week. Samples of all students from Classes IX, X and XII  and their parents were collected.  According to sources a total of 1,450 samples were collected and sent for test. So far 57 students, one staff and four parents have tested positive and been admitted to hospitals.Results of around 230 samples are awaited sources said. Thanjavur Collector M Govinda Rao ordered closure of the school for 14 days. Intense door-to-door  surveillance was conducted in all the 24 villages.