Fresh Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu cross 300-mark after 100 days

CHENNAI: After more than 100 days, fresh Covid-19 cases in TN crossed the 300-mark on Tuesday, when the state reported 332 new cases including 171 in Chennai, 66 in Chengalpet and 23 in Coimbatore. With new additions, active cases rose to 1,632.
The last time Tamil Nadu reported more than 300 cases was on March 2, when the third wave triggered by the Omicron variant was receding. New cases dropped to nearly 21 a day, and unit clusters were found in educational institutions such as IIT-M, Anna University, Sathya Sai Medical College, and VIT. “We are now seeing large clusters in several areas of Chennai. On Wednesday, we will hold a meeting with officials at the Greater Chennai Corporation,” he said.

Chennai, Chengalpet, Coimbatore, Tiruvallur (16) and Kanyakumari (10) reported the highest number of cases. While Kancheepuram and Trichy reported seven new Covid cases each, Salem reported five, and Erode and Sivaganga reported four each. Madurai and Tiruppur reported three new cases, Tirunelveli reported two and ten others – Cuddalore, Krishnagiri, Nilgiris, Ranipet, Thanjavur, Theni, Tiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Vellore and Virudhunagar– reported one new case each. Fifteen districts reported no new cases of Covid-19.
Of the 1632 active cases, 861 were in Chennai and 297 were in Chengalpet. There were 99 patients in Coimbatore, 80 in Tiruvallur and 64 in Kancheepuram. All other districts reported fewer than 50 active cases. Just four districts – Mayiladuthurai, Namakkal, Ramanathapuram and Tirupathur –were Covid free. Although the percentage of people hospitalised remained low, the number of people hospitalised rose to 103. Among this, 49 people were on oxygen beds and six people – three in Chennai, one each in Dindugal, Kanyakumari and Vellore, were in the ICUs. “Many Covid beds in the state are still empty. Nevertheless, an increase in hospitalisations will increase risks of complications and deaths, particularly among unvaccinated and elderly,” said director of public health Dr TS SelvaVinayagam.