`5 lakh aid for Covid victim Tamil TV cameraman

Chennai, June 27: A 41year-old video journalist working for a Tamil television channel in the news section died of Covid-19 at a hospital here on Saturday, the government said.

The video cameraman, who was being treated from June 14 at a hospital here for the infection, died on Saturday, chief minister K Palaniswami said.

Condoling his death, the chief minister said he has ordered a solatium of `5 lakh to the bereaved family. Minister for information, Kadambur Raju too condoled the death and said he would provide `50,000 assistance.

The video cameraman, E. Velmurugan's death was very unfortunate and saddening, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash said. A journalist for about 20 years, he had worked for a couple of media outlets, the Chennai Press Club said in a statement.

Over 10.42 lakh ovid-19 tests have been conducted in Tamil Nadu and the focus was to cover the population streetwise for early detection and treatment, health secretary J. Radhakrishnan said here on Saturday.

The basic idea of detecting the symptomatic cases through fever camps is to ensure a healthy population by early detection and treatment for Covid-19, he said.

“So, when people step out of their houses after the lockdown is relaxed, they do not emerge as carriers of the virus,” Radhakrishnan told reporters after reviewing a fever camp at Tondiarpet.

He said Tamil Nadu has tested over 10.42 lakh samples for Covid19, after the capacity was ramped up in the State. Of these tests, 70 per cent of them were done in government facilities, he said.