CHENNAI: The number of active Covid-19 cases in
Tamil Nadu has increased by 93% in one month. On Sunday, 7,903 patients were undergoing treatment in hospitals and at home across the state. It was 4,109 the same day last month.
The number of recoveriesis only half of the number of fresh cases. While 1,289 people tested positive for the virus on Sunday, only 668 got discharged following treatment.
The local district administration has penalised two schoolsRs5,000 andRs12,000for allowing the infection to spread.
Among the UK returnees, one more person from Chengalpet tested positive and is under treatment in a separate isolation ward. The patient underwent an RTPCR test seven days after returning to India as per new government guidelines.
Tamil Nadu’s case fatality ratio has not come down below 1.5% in the past six months. With nine more patients succumbing to the virus in the past 24 hours, the state’s Covid toll increased to 12,599 -- second highest after Maharashtra (53,300).
Of the nine deceased, two had no comorbidities and were below 55.
Hotspot Chennai recorded the maximum number of deaths (four) and new cases
(466). Infection is on the rise in nearby Chengalpet (132 new cases), Tiruvallur (72) and Kancheepuram (32) districts.
Coimbatore (109) was third in the state’s infection chart. All the western districts reported new cases in two digits. But none reported any death.
In southern Tamil Nadu, the recovery rate has dropped to 97%. Madurai and Dindigul reported 22 new cases each.
Though the case count was low in central region except Thanjavur (73 new cases),three peoplediedof Covid-19. In Thanjavur, 25 more students tested positive. After one teacher and six students were infected in a school, all 1,200 students were screened. The infected students have been admitted at local government hospital for treatment.
Amid the rising cases, the state has increased testing. Last month, laboratories tested around 50,000 samples a day. On Sunday, 75,258 samples were tested.