Tamil Nadu on Friday recorded 4,538 fresh COVID-19 cases and 79 deaths — the highest number of fatalities recorded by the Health Department on a single day.
The fresh cases took the overall count to 1,60,907*. Another 3,391 persons were discharged following treatment, taking the total number of persons discharged so far to 1,10,807. As many as 47,782 persons are currently undergoing treatment. The overall death toll stands at 2,315
54 deaths in a day
The 79 deaths — 56 at government hospitals and 23 at private hospitals — had occurred from July 13 to 16. But the majority of the patients — 54 — died on July 16.
Except one patient, the remaining 78 had co-morbid conditions. At least 50 of them were aged above 60. Chennai accounted for 36 deaths, while eight patients died in Chengalpattu, five in Tiruvallur and four each in Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Tiruvannamalai.
Among the deceased was a 57-year-old man from Chennai, who died within four hours of admission to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) on July 16. He had carcinoma tongue (post-radiation therapy) and died due to factors including cardiopulmonary arrest and COVID-19 pneumonia.
A 49-year-old woman, a diabetic, from Tiruvallur was admitted to RGGGH at 11.48 p.m. on July 15. Her swab, which was lifted at the Ayapakkam Primary Health Centre, returned positive on July 12. However, she died at 7.45 p.m. on July 16 owing to severe COVID-19 pneumonia and respiratory failure.
A 66-year-old man from Chennai died at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital within an hour of admission on July 16 because of acute respiratory failure, bronchopneumonia and COVID-19. He had diabetes. A 63-year-old man was referred from a private hospital to the Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, at 8 p.m. on July 15. He had diabetes and coronary artery disease and died at 11 a.m. the next day owing to multiple-organ dysfunction, sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute respiratory failure and COVID-19 pneumonia.
A total of 1,376 persons have died in Chennai, while 184 persons died in Chengalpattu and 147 in Tiruvallur.
There was a slight increase in the number of fresh cases in Chennai, with 1,243 persons testing positive. Among the northern districts, Tiruvallur reported 220 fresh cases, Vellore had 183 cases and Tiruvannamalai had 145 cases. Chengalpattu had 124 cases, while Kancheepuram and Villupuram had 110 and 105 cases respectively.
Surge in south
The surge in cases continued in the southern districts — Madurai - 262, Virudhunagar - 196, Thooth- ukudi - 189, Theni - 175, Dindigul - 160, Kanniyakumari - 149, and Tirunelveli - 115. Tiruchi recorded 100 cases, while Thanjavur saw a spike, with 117 cases.
A total of 141 persons tested positive in Coimbatore.
While all 37 districts recorded fresh cases, only four districts — Erode, Nagapattinam, Perambalur and Tirupattur — had fewer than 10 cases each. Apart from the indigenous cases, 75 returnees tested positive.
Chennai’s overall tally increased to 83,377, while Chengalpattu accounted for 9,035 cases, Tiruvallur, 8,329, and Madurai, 7,858. The active cases stood at 14,923 in Chennai.
In the last 24 hours, a high number of samples was tested. A total of 48,669 samples were tested. The total number of samples tested so far has gone up to 18,31,304.
The Government Headquarters Hospital, Mettur, and a private laboratory — Sudha Diagnostic Centre, Erode — were approved for testing. The State now has a total of 109 testing facilities.
(*This is inclusive of two deaths cross-notified to other States and one patient who died after testing negative for the infection.)
