The Total Positivity Rate (TPR) in the past 10 days has increased to 18.3% in Salem as on Thursday and officials are working on increasing bed strength with medical oxygen facilities to treat COVID-19 patients. As on April 24, the TPR in the district was 10.5%.
According to health officials, on an average, 5,000 swab samples are collected on a day and on Thursday alone, 763 COVID-19 cases were reported in the district, highest in recent times.
There are 20 taluks, four Municipalities and a Municipal Corporation in the district and in past 10 days, 33,446 samples were collected and 6,122 persons tested positive.
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Officials said 3,256 cases were reported in the Corporation limits alone. In 10 days, 12,143 samples were collected in the Corporation limits and the positivity rate was 26.8%.
In Attur Municipality, 395 samples were collected and the positivity rate was 45.6%, and in Veerapandi taluk, 554 samples were collected and 47.3% of positivity rate was reported. The positivity rate was less than 4% in Yercaud, Gengavalli and Kolathur taluks.
As on Thursday, there were 78 containment zones in the district covering 1,105 homes and 4,186 persons. The district administration is identifying facilities to set up COVID-19 treatment centres with oxygen facilities.
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