A 39-year-old doctor treating patients at the COVID-19 wing of Government Rajaji Hospital here tested positive on Friday making her the first medical professional to contract the infection in Madurai.
Apart from her, another person arriving from Uttar Pradesh tested positive too. With these cases, the total number of cases from Madurai stands at 226.
Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association president K. Senthil said the doctors were always stressed the importance of the right procedure of donning and doffing personal protection equipment (PPE). “We are continuously asking them to be cautious. Many say wearing the PPE, including face shields, is difficult during summer. We are trying to help them correct errors that are common while wearing the PPE,” he said.
The 38-year-old returnee who tested positive came from Kanpur in a bus. After he tested positive, he was shifted to a quarantine facility at Madurai Kamaraj University.
He will be returning to his home in Usilampatti after he tests negative, Collector T. G. Vinay said.
Returnees’ effect
Returnees from Maharashtra continue to jack up the number of COVID-19 patients in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, which had 11 and 5 fresh cases respectively on Saturday. Interestingly, all these 16 cases detected at check posts on the borders of the two districts.
Though Tenkasi added two new cases on Saturday, they were not from Mumbai and the district has 33 patients under treatment.
While Tirunelveli district had 187 active cases as on Saturday, Thoothukudi had 111 cases after four patients from Kovilpatti were discharged from Government Medical College Hospital.
Kanniyakumari district, which did not record any fresh case on Saturday, has 49 patients under treatment in Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam.
While there were no fresh cases in Dindigul and Sivaganga districts on Saturday, one case from Theni and three from Ramanathapuram were reported.
From West Bengal
All the three cases in Ramanathapuram had travel history of having returned from West Bengal. They were sent for treatment to Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital from where 13 patients were discharged.
Now only three patients from Sivaganga district are taking treatment.
The lone patient from Theni had contacts with persons with symptoms of COVID-19. Of the 102 persons who had tested positive so far, 54 had been cured and left for home, two died and 42 are taking treatment at the Theni GMCH, two in Cumbum GH, one each in Tiruchi GH and Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital.
Towards three digits
Virudhunagar district is just short of three to touch the triple-digit mark after it reported two new cases on Saturday.
Of the 97 cases, 53 patients are taking treatment and 54 others have been discharged. Both the two fresh cases had come from other States – one each from Delhi and Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Rajapalayam Jamaat on Saturday distributed new dresses for 75 persons who were detained in a quarantine facility in Rajapalayam after the police team found them stealthily escaping in a truck to West Bengal from Kerala.
“After we took up with the Jamaat about the West Bengal people who were attempting to go back home for Ramzan, the Jamaat came forward to give them some comfort and care,” said Virudhunagar Collector R. Kannan.
