TN adds 7 819 new COVID-19 infections 25 deaths

Chennai, Apr 14 (PTI) Tamil Nadu reported 7,819 new
COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, pushing the caseload to
9,54,948, while the toll mounted to 12,970 with 25 more
deaths, the health department said.
    According to a department bulletin, recoveries
mounted to 8,87,663 today with 3,464 patients being
discharged, leaving 54,315 active cases.
    Chennai accounted for 2,564 new infections, taking
the tally to 2,72,118. The metropolis also leads in the number
of deaths with 4,344 fatalities.
     A total of 97,668 samples were tested on Wednesday,
pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to
2,07,84,108.
    As many as 18 districts have clocked new infections
in triple digits indicating a sharp increase of the virus
spread.
    Chengalpet reported 772 fresh cases today, Coimbatore
540, Cuddalore 175, Dindigul 112, Erode 153, Kancheepuram 124,
Krishnagiri 156, Madurai 199, Nagapattinam 157, Salem 175,
Thanjavur 158, Thiruvallur 383, Thiruvarur 108, Tuticorin 244,
Tirunelveli 193, Tiruppur 225, Tiruchirappalli 216 and Vellore
113, the bulletin said.
    As many as 34 people who arrived from various
destinations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait,
were among those who tested positive for the virus.
    After formally flagging off 22 vehicles under the
Centre's 'Tika Utsav', a three-day vaccination festival in
Tamil Nadu, Health secretary J Radhakrishnan said out of the
2.02 crore people who were above 45 years, only 27 lakh have
got themselves vaccinated.
    These vehicles would be moving in parts of the state
appealing to the eligible people to get vaccinated, he said.
     While 18 vehicles would focus on other districts for
the vaccination drive, four vehicles were allotted to Chennai.
     Stating that the spread of virus has been on an
upward trend at the national level and also in Tamil Nadu, he
urged eligible people to get vaccinated. He also asked people
to wear masks while going out, avoid crowds and not throng
fish or vegetable markets.
    "We are facing a cluster challenge. People should
realise that and they should avoid thronging fish or vegetable
markets," he said.
    To a query, he said Chief Minister K Palaniswami today
took stock of the COVID-19 situation and the health department
was taking all steps on 'war-footing" to contain the spread.
    He said the next two weeks was expected to be more
challenging (in containing the spread of the virus) and a core
committee meeting headed by the chief secretary would take
necessary steps based on the daily COVID-19 tally.
    The committee would submit its report to the Chief
Minister, Radhakrishnan said.PTI VIJ
BN BN

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)