TAMIL NADU REPORTS 2,000 PLUS CASES FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE DAY
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Friday reported 2,115 fresh coronavirus cases and 41 more deaths taking tally to 54,449 while the toll stood at 666, the government said. Of the 2,115 cases, Chennai's accounted for 1,322 and the state's total count of cases stood at 54,449 while the capital city's share in the aggregate number was 38,327. Friday is the third successive day of 2,000 plus cases in the state. Those dead include 31 with comorbidities and people without any concomitant illness include a 40-year old man. The active cases are 23,509 and 1,630 people got discharged in a single day today. This is the highest recovery in the state so far for a day and in total 30,271 people have recovered.
While 27,537 samples were tested, cumulatively 8,27,980 specimens were examined and two more private labs were approved for COVID-19 testing today taking the number of testing centres in Tamil Nadu to 83 of which 45 are in government and 38 in private sector. The 27,500 plus samples getting tested in a day is the highest till date.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said as part of initiatives to further augment detection of symptomatic people, thermal guns and pulse oximeters have been provided to health personnel and these will be used in fever camps and door to door surveys. The devices have been distributed in three zones including Royapuram in north Chennai and all other areas will soon be covered, he said. An oximeter is a device used to measure blood oxygen levels and if oxygen saturation was found to be below 94 percent, they need immediate health care.
Meanwhile, a 12-day lockdown without previous relaxations kicked in on Friday here and in a string of other localities in nearby three districts including Chengelpet with police deploying drones and intensifying patrols to check violations. While arterial roads to neighbouhood streets were deserted, police placed barricades in key intersections and blocked free access to several main thoroughfares in the city and suburbs.
Shops selling essentials including vegetables functioned from morning till 2 pm and private vehicles and autos, taxis were off the roads.
Only some cargo trucks and vehicles related to essential services could be seen plying on roads and other key highways like the GST and GNT Roads in Chennai's southern and northern periphery.