Coronavirus | Active cases drop below 5,000

The number of active COVID-19 cases fell below 5,000 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. A total of 4,984 persons are under treatment across the State. Chennai accounts for the most, with 1,749, and Perambalur the least, with three.

As the State recorded 586 fresh cases, only two deaths were reported — one each in Chennai and Tirunelveli. A 53-year-old woman from Tirunelveli who had diabetes and systemic hypertension was admitted to a private hospital with complaints of fever, cough for five days and difficulty in breathing for two days. She died on January 22 owing to COVID-19 pneumonia. A 78-year-old man from Chennai died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on January 16 owing to COVID-19 pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Two returnees from Karnataka also tested positive. The State’s overall case tally stands at 8,34,171, and 8,16,878 persons have been discharged so far. A total of 12,309 persons have died. The number of active cases was less than 5,000 in early May last year; thereafter it started rising.

Ramanathapuram reported no fresh cases, while 19 other districts had fewer than 10 cases each. Chennai reported 153 fresh cases, while Chengalpattu and Coimbatore had 51 and 47 cases respectively. There were 30 cases in Tiruppur, 27 in Erode, 26 in Tiruvarur, 25 in Kancheepuram and 24 in Tiruvallur.

The fresh cases took Chennai’s overall tally to 2,30,026, while Coimbatore accounted for 53,966 cases and Chengalpattu 51,206 cases.

As many as 673 persons, including 206 in Chennai, were discharged after treatment. In the last 24 hours, 63,073 samples were tested. So far, 1,55,77,766 samples have been tested.

Vaccination update

On the eighth day of vaccination in Tamil Nadu, 7,575 persons received the two vaccines against COVID-19, taking the total number of healthcare professionals/workers inoculated so far to 59,226.

Of the day’s capacity to vaccinate 16,500 persons, 7,381 were administered Covishield and 194 received Covaxin. Covaxin was administered at three of the six session sites on Saturday. So far, 57,965 healthcare professionals/workers have received Covishield and 1,261 have received Covaxin, according to the daily report of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.