The total number of the fresh cases stands at 33,181 and deaths at 311, the department said. 

The new cases include nine returnees from various destinations, pushing the caseload to 15,98,216 while the deaths today took the toll to 17,670 till date, it said. 

According to a medical bulletin, 21,317 people were discharged today, taking the tally to 13,61,204 leaving 2,19,342 active infections. 

Chennai accounted for 6,247 new infections, totalling 4,38,391 till date. 

The metropolis leads in the number of fatalities too with 5,764 deaths. 

The number of samples tested today was 1,66,812, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 2,51,17,215. 

Besides Chennai, Chengalpet saw 2,041 cases, Coimbatore 3,166, Erode 1,232, Kancheepuram 1,119, Kanyakumari 1,030, Madurai 1,095, Tiruvallur 1,835, Tiruchirappalli 1,569 while remaining districts clocked new infections in triple digits. 

Ariyalur witnessed 227 new cases, Cuddalore 853, Dharmapuri 339, Dindigul 380, Kallakurichi 512, Karur 193, Krishnagiri 684, Nagapattinam 604, Namakkal 370, Nilgiris 377, Perambalur 255, Pudukottai 334, Ramanathapuram 215, Ranipet 227 and Salem 822. 

Sivagangai recorded 223, Tenkasi 456, Thanjavur 650, Theni 672, Thirupathur 501, Thiruvannamalai 435, Thiruvarur 529, Tuticorin 914, Tirunelveli 692, Vellore 528, Villupuram 488 and Virudhunagar 439, the bulletin said. 

Of the 311 deceased, 84 were without any pre-existing illness, including a 23-year-old man from Thiruvannamalai who succumbed to COVID-19 pneumonia, the bulletin said. 

Meanwhile, the State government appointed two IAS officers - Nishanth Krishna and A Periaswami to coordinate the process of supplying liquid oxygen through trains from Odisha. 

Based on a request from Chief Minister M K Stalin, the Centre allotted 100 metric tonne of liquid oxygen per day to Tamil Nadu from Odisha. 

''Till date, Tamil Nadu has received 110 metric tonne of medical oxygen. The tankers filled with liquid oxygen arrive to the State through trains while empty tankers are sent to the destination by air,'' an official press release said. 

In Chennai, Medical and Family Welfare Minister M Subramanian inaugurated a 100-bed facility equipped with oxygen supply to treat COVID-19 patients. 

''Currently, 33 beds will be able to supply oxygen to the patients. Steps are being taken to add oxygen supply to the remaining beds. The facility has been connected to the government-run Omandurar Medical College and Hospital,'' the release said.