Tamil Nadu reports 3 new COVID-19 positive cases, more people in home quarantine

The number of positive COVID-19 patients in Tamil Nadu rose to nine on Sunday with three people, who returned from various countries, testing positive for the virus, even as the state reported a massive increase in the number of people being quarantined at their homes.

While eight cases, including two Thai nationals, are active, one patient has already been discharged from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGH) here.

A 25-year-old student who returned from Spain, a 64-year-old woman with travel history to California in the US and a 43-year-old man who came back to India from Dubai last week are the three people who have tested positive.

Follow live updates of coronavirus cases in India here

While the student, who returned to Coimbatore via New Delhi and Bengaluru, is admitted to ESIC hospital in Coimbatore, the California-return has been isolated at the Stanley Medical College Hospital here. The man who returned from Dubai is quarantined at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

Announcing the positive cases, Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar asked people returning from foreign countries to self-quarantine and report to a doctor if they have any symptoms.

“The corona positives in TN clearly shows that people with travel history & travelers from abroad are victims of #Covid19. My request to everyone who traveled abroad during the past one month must self-quarantine & report to Dr if any symptoms persists,” he tweeted.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

While four patients are admitted to hospitals in Chennai, two are quarantined in Perundurai and one each are isolated in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli.

The fresh positive cases were reported even as Tamil Nadu was scrambling to trace the travel history of three patients – one who travelled from New Delhi to Chennai by train – and two Thailand nationals who were in the western parts of the state for a few days before they tested positive.

The state has also almost doubled the number of people quarantined at home. While the number of people under home quarantine was 4,253 on Friday, it jumped to 8,950 on Saturday raising questions on whether the state was testing only a smaller number of people. However, the government hasn’t given any explanation for the massive spike in numbers.

The two Thailand nationals, who have tested positive and currently quarantined at the IRT Hospital in Perundurai in Erode district, are part of a group of tourists who arrived in Tamil Nadu in the first week of March.

Though reports said the two were connected with the person who died of sepsis in Coimbatore last week, Vijayabhaskar said they were not true.

“Thai national who died at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital last week was Corona negative. The Patient had history of chronic diabetes with foot ulcer & cellulitis. Despite all efforts the Pt died of sepsis leading to renal failure. The two Thai patients undergoing treatment is not connected to the deceased man,” the Minister said.