39% of Tamil Nadu’s 1,636 new cases reported from Chennai

Chennai: As predicted by epidemiologists, Tamil Nadu inched closer to 10,000 active Covid-19 cases, reporting 1,636 new infections on Wednesday. More than 1,000 patients recovered, bringing the active case tally to 9,746. The state also recorded 12 deaths, taking the total toll to 12,630. TN’s cumulative case tally stood at 8,71,440.

The state on Wednesday collected samples from more than 80,000 people. Several hospitals that had closed or reduced isolation beds for Covid-19, were once again expanding wards, oxygen beds and isolation ICUs.

Nearly 39% of TN’s fresh cases were from hotspot Chennai, which reported 633 cases on Wednesday. Neighbouring districts Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur together added 320 cases. After Chennai, Chengalpet (178) had the highest number of new cases.At least 40 cases reported among 52 students of a medical college were not included in Wednesday’s report as the results arrived in the afternoon, district public health officer Dr V K Palani said.

Greater Chennai Corporation is reviving its 2020 model and will appoint 12,000 fever surveillance workers to track cases in the city. “From Monday, workers will go door-to-door and check people for symptoms. This is a tried and tested method that helped us control the rate of transmission,” said G Prakash, corporation commissioner. The civic body will also reintroduce focus volunteers to help quarantined people and set up fever clinics again.

All districts reported fresh cases on Wednesday. Perambalur, which reported one new case, had nine active cases. With seven patients under treatment, Kallakurichi had the least number of active cases. The positivity rate in Coimbatore was inching close to 3% when the district reported 147 new cases. In the central region, Thanjavur reported 72 new cases, a cascading effect of school clusters. Among the 12 deaths, five were from Chennai, two each from Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts and one each from Coimbatore, Kanyakumari and Thanjavur districts.

Meanwhile, 94,341 patients, including 38,167 senior citizens and 33,323 people between 45 and 59 years (with comorbid conditions), took the Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday.