COVID-19 cases may peak in Tamil Nadu by May-end: Health Secretary

The pace of increase has slowed, says Radhakrishnan.

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 20/01/2021: Senior Students of Government Medical College, Omandurar, Government Estate welcomed with rose to first year students on the first day of MBBS classes on January 20, 2021, along with state health secretary J. Radhakrishnan and College Dean Jayanthi are in picture. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

The COVID-19 cases may peak in Tamil Nadu by May-end, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said on Thursday.

“Tamil Nadu has been recording 35,000 cases [a day] on an average. A number of States such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Delhi have already reached the peak... The population of Kerala and Karnataka is less than Tamil Nadu’s. As per our inferences... the cases may peak on May 29 or May 30 as Tamil Nadu is two weeks behind these States,” he told reporters in Chennai.

He pointed out that the pace of increase in the cases had slowed. “In particular, we are noticing static cases in Chennai and its surrounding districts. However, the situation in districts such as Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Tiruchi, Thoothukudi and Madurai is worrying,” he said.

This was why the lockdown should be utilised well to break the chain of transmission. “The benefit of the lockdown will be felt only in the second half. Public cooperation is essential. Avoid visiting crowded shops and adhere to the restrictions in the containment areas. There should be no movement into and out of the containment areas...,” he said. This is important to bring down the cases,” he said.

Hospitals were benefiting from even the little stabilisation in the number of cases in Chennai, he noted. “We are creating search capacity in every district. We have issued an advisory to the Collectors through the Unified Command Centre on how they can quickly increase the number of beds if there is any sudden rise in cases,” he said.

There was a rapid rise in cases from 20,000 to 30,000 a day, while the rate of increase after the number reached the 30,000-mark had slowed down, he said. “The signs of the cases slowing down are visible in a few districts, while field work should be intensified in the remaining districts,” he said.

He said the State had a recovery rate of 98%. Orders were issued to recruit 2,000 doctors, 6,000 nurses and 2,000 paramedical personnel, he said.

With the Chief Minister launching the vaccination drive for those aged 18-44, the Health Secretary said those who wanted to get the vaccine should register themselves on Co-WIN. “We have 13.85 lakh doses of vaccines. With this, we are prioritising factory workers and differently abled persons...,” he said.