Tamil Nadu reported 17,321 fresh COVID-19 cases and 405 deaths on Wednesday, taking the State’s tally to 22,92,025 and toll to 28,170.
Compared to 15 days ago, cases have nearly halved, said Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian. “The number of COVID-19 cases is gradually reducing. The situation is under control in 25 districts. In four districts alone, the numbers remain the same or are varying. Nine districts need additional focus,” he said.
In Coimbatore, 2,319 people tested positive, followed by 1,405 in Erode and 1,345 in Chennai. While Salem reported 957 cases, Tiruppur saw 913.
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The State’s active caseload dipped further to 2,04,258. Of these, Coimbatore accounts for the most number of active cases at 24,022 and is followed by Tiruppur (18,359). Chennai accounts for 14,678 active cases and Erode 13,724.
As many as 31,253 people were discharged after treatment, taking the total figure to 20,59,597. The State tested 1,80,750 samples in the last 24 hours — the highest figure in a day so far. Till date, 2,92,43,359 samples have been tested.
Coimbatore (62) reported more fatalities than Chennai (52). There were 29 deaths in Chengalpattu and 23 in Salem. Among the deceased was a 21-year-old woman from Dharmapuri, who was admitted to the Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital on June 5. She died on June 7 due to COVID-19 pneumonia.
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The Medical Minister, who participated in an event at Gurunanak College, said so far, 1,052 people had been affected by mucormycosis in the State. “Each patient requires drugs for 14 days. So there is a requirement of 14-15 vials of the drug (amphotericin B) for a patient. Tamil Nadu requires 35,000 vials, while it has received just 3,060 so far,” he said. He added that special mucormycosis wards and ICUs, similar to the ones at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, were being set up at government hospitals in all districts.
Finance Minister P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan said the drug was being manufactured by Gilead Sciences. It is being manufactured in Singapore and the U.S. Due to efforts taken by many, including Tamils, two lakh doses have been airlifted from the U.S. to Delhi, he said, adding: “We hope we get a reasonable share of the drugs that have arrived, as we played a role in bringing them.”
Amid a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, only 12,609 people, including 4,912 in the 18-44 age group, were vaccinated in the State on Wednesday. The overall coverage now stands at 97,62,957. Vaccination was held in 562 sessions.