Three people tested positive for coronavirus, while 35 patients were discharged from various hospitals and care centres in the central region on Saturday.
Of the three patients who tested positive, two belonged to Nagapattinam and the third hailed from Thanjavur district.
The men from Nagapattinam, aged 50 and 51, returned from Chennai after the Koyambedu market was shut down. They travelled via Karaikal and were stopped by police personnel near Nagore and tested.
They were admitted to a quarantine facility in the district and shifted to Nagapattinam Government Headquarters Hospital after testing positive. The duo were asymptomatic and responding well to treatment, officials said.
The sole patient who tested positive in Thanjavur returned to the district from Andhra Pradesh. The 35-year-old man was intercepted by officials at a checkpost and taken for testing. The patient was admitted to Thanjavur Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Of the 35 patients who were discharged on Saturday, 25 hailed from Perambalur and 10 from Ariyalur and were sent home after recovering from the infection.
So far, 337 of 348 positve patients had fully recovered in Ariyalur, while 109 of 139, who tested positive in Perambalur, were discharged from Perambalur District Headquarters Hospital.
R. Geetha Rani, Deputy Director of Health Services, Perambalur, said all 25 patients were given fruit platters and a warm send-off by hospital staff. The patients were sent to their homes on 108 ambulance vans and asked to stay in home quarantine for 14 days.
Many migrant workers, who were stranded in various parts of the districts, were sent home after COVID-19 test samples returned negative.
Nine patients hailing from Maharashtra, who were found walking to their hometown and admitted to a quarantine facility in the district in April, were all sent home after 14 days.
District officials said arrangements had been made to ensure their return home.
Dr. Geetha Rani said officials in Maharashtra were contacted and after their approval, the workers, including four children, were sent to Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, 330 migrant workers hailing from Bihar submitted a petition to Ariyalur Collector requesting her permission to board a train to their hometown.
Special train
A special Shramik train was arranged from Villupuram to Bihar. With the Collector’s approval, the workers were taken in vehicles arranged by the district administration from Ariyalur to Villupuram from where they would board the train scheduled to depart at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
