As many as 19 districts recorded fewer than 10 cases of COVID-19, even as 673 persons tested positive for the infection in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. While Perambalur continued to report nil fresh cases, Chennai, for the second consecutive day, recorded less than 200 cases.
The number of samples tested crossed 1.50 crore. As many as 62,683 samples were tested in 24 hours, taking the total figure to 1,50,08,259.
The new cases took the State’s overall tally to 8,28,287. As many as 821 persons were discharged after treatment, taking the total number of recoveries to 8,09,392. Six more persons succumbed to the infection, taking the toll to 12,242. A total of 6,653 persons are currently undergoing treatment.
In Chennai, 192 persons (including an imported case) tested positive for the infection and two persons died. The city accounts for a total of 2,28,368 COVID-19 cases and 4,054 deaths. Coimbatore reported 71 cases, while Chengalpattu had 55 cases. There were 32 cases in Tiruvallur and 30 in Salem. Districts including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ranipet, Theni, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar reported fewer than 10 cases each. Five returnees from West Bengal and Karnataka tested positive for the infection.
All six persons who died had co-morbidities. A 75-year-old man from Tiruchi with diabetes and hypertension was admitted to a private hospital with complaints of cough and difficulty in breathing on January 11. He died the next day due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and COVID-19 pneumonia.
A total of 221 persons returned from the UK between January 8 and 13. Of this, 114 were traced and tested. Two of them tested positive and 92 tested negative. Results of 20 persons were awaited.
Earlier, 2,146 persons who returned from the U.K. between November 25 and December 23 were traced and tested. Of them, 24 were found to be infected and 2,122 were negative.
Till date, 26 U.K. returnees and 20 of their contacts have tested positive for the infection. Sixteen primary and an equal number of contact cases tested negative on follow-up RT-PCR sample testing. They were discharged and kept under home quarantine, according to the bulletin issued by the Health Department.
Covaxin arrives
The State has received 20,000 doses of Covaxin, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. The vaccines were stored at the State Vaccine Store in Chennai. Officials said the distribution of the vaccine was still being decided.
