On a day when a team of medical experts recommended that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami extend the lockdown by 14 days beyond April 14, the State recorded a further 77 cases of COVID-19.
Briefing reporters after a meeting with the Chief Minister, Dr. Prabhdeep Kaur of ICMR National Institute of Epidemiology said: “Despite all the efforts taken by the government, cases have been increasing... All the experts feel that it will be good if the lockdown is extended for 14 more days. This is the recommendation of the committee.”
The Cabinet, which is meeting on Saturday, may take a call on the issue.
On Friday, Tamil Nadu’s tally of COVID-19 cases surged to 911, with the addition of 77 cases. A woman, who had tested positive for COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment at Thoothukudi, died, taking the total number of deaths to nine. Till date, 44 persons who tested positive have been discharged.
Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam told reporters that five of the 77 patients had a history of travel, and the remaining were contacts of those with a travel history. All 77 were from areas that were already under containment. Of the fresh cases, 70 were connected to a “single source event” (Delhi conference), according to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine’s bulletin.
Coimbatore reported the highest number of cases with 26 persons — 21 women and five men — testing positive.
Twelve persons, including nine women, from Chengalpattu, nine persons each in Chennai and Ranipet, eight from Dindigul, three each from the Nilgiris and Villupuram, two each from Erode and Tuticorin, and one each from Cuddalore, Kanniyakumari and Tiruvannamalai tested positive.
“Our main aim is to control the spread of COVID-19. We are taking steps to ensure that new cases do not occur outside quarantine or containment zones,” he said.
All family members of COVID-19-positive persons were being tested for the infection, and this exercise would be completed within two days. Their contacts would be isolated, checked for symptoms and further action would be taken as per protocols, he said, adding: “The Chief Minister has instructed that all family members should be tested again.”
“We hope that the number of positive cases will come under control once all contacts are tested for COVID-19,” he added.
Persons hospitalised with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) are being monitored on a daily basis across Tamil Nadu. “This is to check if there is community spread of COVID-19. In the last 24 hours, a total of 71 persons were tested. Five results are pending, and none of the remaining persons has tested positive for COVID-19,” the official said.
As per Thursday’s data, the source of infection for 23 persons, who tested positive for COVID-19, could not be established and confirmed. “However, we can tell indirectly. For instance, there are two or three patients who have visited Phoenix mall. There is a contact but we are unable to confirm it. Apart from the 23 persons, there is no case where we have not been able to zero in on the source,” he said.
He said as per the statistics, the State was still in stage 2 of COVID-19 transmission. “We have not progressed to stage 3. In that, there will be numerous cases with unidentifiable sources of infection,” he explained.
The rapid test kits should have reached the State on Thursday night, he said, adding: “The Centre has got a purchase order and has informed us it would supply a part of the order. We will get the kits in a day or two.”
On availability of protective gear, he said, “As soon as the pandemic broke out in China in January, the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation started preparatory works to procure medical equipment. We are not dependent on the Centre for supply of personal protective equipment. We have roped in manufacturers in Tiruppur and are directly purchasing from them. This is the same for triple layer masks. We are directly procuring ventilators as well. We have asked the Centre too but we are taking efforts from our side. We have placed orders for testing kits too,” he explained.
The official clarified that the State had received ₹314 crore from the National Health Mission for tackling COVID-19. He said that ₹234 crore - Rs. one crore from Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Fund - would be utilised for procuring medical equipment, and a government order would be issued soon.
Doctors — both in the private and government sectors — had been instructed to utilise protective equipment, including N95 masks and PPE, while screening patients with fever or symptoms of SARI. “A few doctors have tested positive for COVID-19 as they screened patients with symptoms and did not protect themselves,” Mr. Shanmugam said.
A total of 8,410 samples have been tested till date, an increase of 1,143 from Thursday. Of this, 661 samples are under process. A total of 1,987 persons have been admitted to isolation wards. Chennai tops the list with 172 cases, followed by Coimbatore with 86. As on date, 47,056 persons are under active home quarantine, while 168 persons are in government quarantine facilities.
