Fresh COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu rose marginally to 1,859 on Thursday, taking the tally to 25,55,664. As the State saw an increase by a little over 100 cases when compared with Wednesday, it was a handful of districts, including Chennai, that accounted for the rise.
The sudden rise in daily tally comes weeks after fresh infections started to dip during the last week of May.
Cases went up marginally in the range of 10 to 30 in some districts. In Chennai, 181 people tested positive, when compared with 164 the previous day. There were 188 cases in Coimbatore. In Erode, the cases shot up to 166, from 140 on Wednesday, while Thanjavur had 102 cases after its daily tally dipped to 78 the previous day. In Tiruchi, fresh cases rose from 55 to 70.
A total of 1,57,074 samples were tested. “The number of samples has been increased to ensure that cases don’t slip up. In districts where there has been an increase, tests of contacts and extended contacts returning positive is also a reason. But it is mainly a pointer and a warning to people, as many are seeing the overall decrease compared with the peak in May as if COVID-19 has completely gone,” Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said.
He said people were being casual, not wearing masks and taking physical distancing lightly. “Disease surveillance has been tightened in all districts, particularly those bordering Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in the light of higher positivity rates,” he said.
He added that renewed efforts in information, education and communication were being made with the Chief Minister’s campaign this weekend. “We are also following up on expediting vaccinations and focusing on vulnerable groups, depending on availability,” he said.
With another 2,145 people discharged after treatment, the total figure touched 25,00,434. Active cases stood at 21,207. The State recorded 28 deaths, taking the toll to 34,023. There were three deaths each in Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruppur, and two each in Cuddalore, Thoothukudi and Tiruchi. Chennai saw a single fatality.
The deaths reported in the bulletin included eight deferred reconciled death reports from Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Namakkal, Salem and Tiruppur from earlier days.
