Marginal dip in COVID-19 cases: 49 reported in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu reported a marginal dip in the number of COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 49 people testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number in the state to 1,372, the government said.

On Friday, 56 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the state, even as the state recorded nil deaths for the second straight day on Saturday.

Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said the death toll from the virus remained at 15.

Briefing reporters, he said there was a spike in the number of persons being discharged, which he said was a good sign.

"Over the past two-three days the number of positive cases has been coming down. At the same time due to the good medical attention, the number of those discharged has also been increasing day by day," he added.

As many as 82 people were discharged on Saturday, taking the cumulative total to 365.

He said of the 49 people who tested positive on Saturday, most hailed from Tirupur district in western Tamil Nadu.

Further, the government was adopting a 'multi-pronged' strategy based on instructions of Chief Minister K Palaniswami to tackle the spread of the pandemic, he said.

"It includes aggressive testing, good clinical management, awareness campaigns, preventive measures like spraying of disinfectant, implementation of Section 144 of Cr.Pc. among others."

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is in force in the state to implement the lockdown as part of the fight against the contagion.

The section bars the assembly of more than five individuals.

The Minister further said the government was also able to find positive cases in containment zones due to the aggressive testing being undertaken.

To a query on rapid test kits (RTKs), he said the state has received 24,000 kits from the orders made by it, besides an additional 12,000 allotted by the Centre.

The kits have been started to be put in use in Salem, Chennai and Coimbatore for tests, he said.

P Umanath, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, said the government was procuring the rapid test kits at rates fixed by the Central government.

When it was pointed out to the main opposition party DMK's demand that the rates be spelt out like Chattisgarh had done, the official said when Tamil Nadu had placed the order much earlier, there were fewer Chinese companies producing them.

He reiterated the kits were procured at rates fixed by the Centre and indicated that if a fresh tender was floated, Tamil Nadu also could ensure lesser prices as compared to the earlier consignment.

He said the orders were made for five lakh kits on the very next day of Central government making its order to the company headquartered in China on April 3.

Meanwhile, Vijaya Baskar clarified that the RTKs would only be 'indicators' whether an individual was exposed to COVID-19 and said the government would also take up other mandatory tests as per the procedures.

"We are conducting tests for ILI (Influenza like illness) cases, SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases and persons in containment zones as per the ICMR guidelines," he said, adding the government was on the right path in containing the spread of virus.

Baskar said the department was also 'auditing' the number of deaths that have occurred due to coronavirus by forming a committee.

"We (the health department) categorise them as high- risk, medium risk and set up high dependency ward. Today the mortality rate (in Tamil Nadu) is less which is at 1.1 per cent", he said.

To a query on plasma treatment, he said the government was awaiting two approvals from the ICMR for research, including on plasma related treatment.

He said the government also increased the number of testing facilities in the state to 31, 21 of them being state- owned and 10 in private sector.

To a question, he confirmed that a Madras High Court staff had tested positive for the virus and all related protocol will be followed.

This includes mass disinfection, contract tracing, and quarantine.

According to High Court sources, the affected person was present when a special sitting was held on Wednesday and Thursday of the Division bench, attended by law officers among others.

Meanwhile, a Health department bulletin said Chennai topped the list with the number of positive cases at 235 (seven cases on Saturday alone) followed by Coimbatore at 128.

Tirupur recorded 28 fresh positive cases, taking the tally in the district to 108.