As many as 486 persons tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in Tamil Nadu to 8,51,063. A total of 4,036 persons are undergoing treatment.
Among the fresh cases was that of a passenger returning from the UAE who tested positive at the international airport. A passenger each returning from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal by road tested positive.
At the same time, 491 persons were discharged in the past 24 hours. With this, 8,34,534 persons have been discharged after treatment.
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Five more deaths pushed the toll to 12,493, health officials said.
187 cases in Chennai
In Chennai district, 187 fresh cases were detected and 191 persons were discharged. The district recorded two deaths. As on date, 1,774 persons are undergoing treatment, according to the bulletin issued by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
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While Coimbatore recorded 40 fresh infections, 36 more cases were detected in Chengalpattu.
In Tiruvallur, 35 more persons tested positive. The district also reported one death. Kancheepuram reported 21 fresh cases. Thanjavur reported 28 fresh cases and one death.
Dharmapuri and Kallakurichi districts recorded no fresh case. Ariyalur, Perambalur, Theni, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Thoothukudi recorded one case each.
So far, 31,144 children aged below 12 and 7,04,717 persons in the age group of 13-60 have been infected. A total of 1,15,202 persons, aged over 60, had contracted the infection, the bulletin said. According to health officials, all the five persons who died in the last 24 hours had pre-existing co-morbidities. Three deaths occurred at government hospitals and two persons died at private hospitals.
A 54-year-old man from Chennai, with systemic hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on February 24. He tested positive the same day. He died on Saturday morning owing to COVID-19 pneumonia/respiratory failure, hospital authorities said.
So far, 1,74,28,757 RT-PCR tests have been done and 1,71,13,015 persons have been tested.
Vaccine update
On Saturday, a total of 12,709 persons were vaccinated in the ongoing drive to inoculate frontline and healthcare workers.
As many as 8,794 healthcare and 1,826 frontline workers received their doses. Among them, were 1,515 police personnel and 24 Railway Police Force personnel. As many as 550 election staff were also vaccinated in a day.
Health officials said 7,355 beneficiaries received their first dose and 5,354 received their second dose.
Till date, of the 4,57,951 persons who were vaccinated, 3,55,829 are healthcare workers and 60,043 are frontline workers.
A total of 40,274 police personnel and 386 RPF personnel, besides 1,419 election staff, have been vaccinated so far. Among them, the first dose was given to 3,96,720 persons and 61,231 received their second dose.