The number of persons testing positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu in a day fell below the 4,000-mark after 99 days on Sunday, with only 3,914 fresh cases being reported. The State also recorded 56 deaths, taking the toll to 10,642.
The number of persons discharged after treatment stood at 4,929 on Sunday, taking the tally of those who have been discharged so far to 6,37,637. The total number of active cases is 39,121. As many as 6,87,400 persons have tested positive for the infection so far.
As on date, 25,067 children and 86,000 persons aged above 60 have tested positive for COVID-19.
There was some relief for Chennai district, with the number of persons discharged exceeding the number of those testing positive. While 1,359 persons were discharged, 1,036 persons tested positive.
As on date, 12,583 patients are under treatment, including in home quarantine, the daily bulletin issued by the Department of Public Health said. The city also recorded 17 deaths. Health officials said the total number of positive cases in the district is 1,89,995.
Among the districts, Coimbatore and Salem led the tally, with 319 and 188 cases recorded respectively in the last 24 hours. In both districts, the number of those discharged was higher, at 365 in Coimbatore and 268 in Salem. Both recorded five deaths each. In Tiruppur, 166 fresh cases were reported and 133 persons were discharged.
Chennai’s neighbouring districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur continued to record cases in three digits. In Kancheepuram, 130 more persons were found to be infected and two persons died. Chengalpattu reported 174 fresh cases and seven deaths. Tiruvallur reported 195 fresh cases.
Health officials said 55 deaths were due to the pre-existing co-morbid conditions. A 55-year-old man from the Nilgiris was admitted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on October 14 and he tested positive the next day. The hospital recorded his death on October 16 as “due to bilateral bronchopneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome.”
A 92-year-old man from the city, who was admitted to a private hospital on October 15 with complaints of difficulty in breathing for a day, tested positive and died on Saturday evening owing to COVID-19 pneumonia, according to the bulletin.